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Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 1

There was a subtle breeze and the sound of familiar rustling leaves. Had Hina not woken up to the smell of a burning campfire, things would not have shaken her so much. As it was, the leaves were singing a foreign song, and the tune of chakra that played to every aspect of her life was long lost. She jumped up towards the nearest source of life and reached for her kunai to find none. Quickly she sniffed the air, and smelt someone unbathed, more akin to the earth itself than any man, but it didn’t stop the force in which she propelled herself forward. Clumsily, her shaky arms reached forward in a rushed attempt to grab her assailant. Two strong hands caught her thin wrists, holding them up and tripping her balance, as she struggled into full awareness, blinking the sleep off her eyes, and breathing in even gasps of air.

It took a few moments caught in between realisation and confusion, in the struggle of waking a half-addled mind, before she came to realise the man before her was simply defending himself and that she had attacked without thinking. She looked up at the man for the first time, finding herself startled out of her thoughts. Those almond shaped eyes, the wider nose bride, and the call of a familiar accent. He looked European! She stumbled backwards, a gasp catching her lips. The last time she had seen such features was in her old life. Even in her new one she had only met some in Kumo that looked African American.

"At ease young one," said the man, hands stretching outward, palms facing up in a gesture of goodwill.

He was speaking in English! Hina blinked once, and then again, looked down at her body and felt its warmth, and the warmth of the sun, and the searing awareness of being awake. It felt more impossible to admit this simply wasn’t a dream. Had she finally managed to go back to the world of her old life? 

Could she see Cat?

She stiffened and a hope flittered to life that had been crushed years ago. But she quickly shook off the momentary distraction, her body coiled back into alertness, hands moving to the ground to stabilize herself. Fingers twitched to find her kunai holster only to realise that underneath this foreign cloak that covered her, she was naked. The touch of bare skin wasn’t as startling as the lack of blade to hold to, but as she looked up at the man, hands held up in a sign of non-violence, she felt like it would be wrong to hold a weapon.

Although she was still wary, she stopped her struggles to look up, flustered and embarrassed by her instincts to harm without warning. It had been so ingrained into her that she had just blindly attacked a random man. Hina didn’t know what was more embarrassing, attacking a non-aggressor, or failing in the attempt in the first place.

"I am... sorry for attacking," she replied in halting English, surprised that the language was now hard for her to speak without a thick Konoha accent.

"It's ok. I found you by the river. Can you tell me what happened? If it isn't too hard to relay?" the man asked kindly.

Hina frowned. What did happen? An experiment of some kind she was sure. She was with Orochimaru doing who knows what again and now... her head hurt as if the memory was barely out of her reach. She only allowed a small flinch to form in the impassiveness of her face, lest she wanted to show weakness, a habit she had drilled out of her body.

"I cannot. Where am I?" Hina finally asked.

"We are currently in the forests near Bree," he replied.

"Which nation?" she pressed.

"In the realm of Eriador," he continued, a tone of worry taking his voice.

Hina wanted to press for more information but she realised she didn't want to sound crazy. Eriador? Was this some forest land in Europe somewhere? Well she could have ended up in worse places like China or Iran where her sudden appearance wouldn't be taken kindly to by the Nation's government. Any modern government was dangerous sure, but Europe would give her some safe-ish way to con her way back to Australia.

The thought of her home country made her heart soar. Yes, she missed the hot sunny land of her birth country, of the stunning cities, its modern comforts, her golden beaches that smelt of fresh salt and the bushland that held the strange and unusual fauna. Her parents may have been immigrants, but the country was equally theirs by every right as it was in their hearts. 

But best of all Cat was there. 

"Where in Europe is this?" she asked, inching forward quickly, throwing all caution to the wind as she held this strange man’s hand and waited for an answer.

"I know not of Europe. We are in the Northern Realms of Middle-Earth."

Hina felt like the wind was knocked from her lungs.

Strider didn't often talk to the trees. In fact he never thought he could, but they called for him as if agitated by the presence of something unnatural. He was a Ranger, and a Ranger’s duty was to the people, and to protect from all Fell things. He had withdrawn his sword ready to take on an Orc band or something equally as vile, when he'd instead found a small body bundled in odd garb. 

He pulled the now identified child out of the cold river and paused when he saw the striking colour of her hair. Her hair was a dark viridian at the roots, lightening at the ends to the most vibrant of greens he had only seen in the trees of Rivendell during Spring. Even more oddly, the child had the same green marking on her eyes travelling down in an almost snake like pattern. She wore a light sort of hide armour strung together in an odd pattern. On her breast was the thinnest wire mesh he had ever seen, and outside she wore a material unknown to him that felt both warm and smooth. 

The trees whistled in agitation, rushing him on to bundle her in his arms to safety. They continued in this trill call, rustling impatiently, but he realised they were simply unsure. They weren’t asking for her removal and he was glad for that because this was a child, and he wouldn't find it in himself to harm her.

Instead he did what he had to do. Unwrapping the cloak around her he took to stripping her of her armour and clothes so she would not freeze to death. Even though she was a child, he hoped he hadn’t sullied her honour in any way by doing so, but if he kept the clothes on, she would freeze further, and he’d rather her alive for now. Then he lit a fire and laid her by the tree with his own dry cloak to keep her modesty. 

Her face was drawn with worry even in her sleep, and there were tired lines around her eyes, but she was small and some natural fat from youth remained on her cheeks. She looked no older than 15 winters and already he knew enough to know she was no ordinary child, if the weapons he had confiscated from her odd pouch and the vials in her hidden robes were anything of meaning.

He waited patiently for the girl to wake and was startled when she lunged at him with such intense precision and skill. Not even a moment after her waking and she was already so stable. Then after calming her down she looked abashed by her actions and then apologised asking for her location. He gave it to her, and it only seemed to confuse her. When he expanded, she looked stricken by some sort of dread and then she turned her back to him, something he had an inkling to know was uncharacteristic of her, before she dropped into a squat and screamed into her knees. Then she turned back and apologised in her oddly thick accent. She turned to him, eyes searching his, hesitant and unsure, lost as she no doubt was.

"I am not from this land," she said.

"I garnered. You are wearing exotic clothing and speak with an accent I have not heard. Tell me little one, where do you hail from?"

She seemed to look beyond him for a second, as if her eyes were far away. "My origins are varied. But I am from the Country of Fire in a Village called Konohagakure originally. Now I guess I am a traveller."

Truly those names were as foreign as her appearance. She didn’t hold the presence of the Elves who travelled back from Valar, nor the dark countenance of the Eastern Men. She felt as human as he did, but there was some energy about her he couldn’t quite place.

"At your age? Do you not have a guardian or parent with you?"

"He did not come with me. I think my coming here was an accident. I was messing with... magic that I shouldn't have tried to involve myself in."

"You are of the Istari?" 

Strider had never heard of a female Istar. He knew of Mithrandir, and Saruman, but beyond them he knew very little of the Order of Wizards. Something about her seemed so foreign that she felt unnatural in the landscape, in a way that no Orc, or Easterling could be. There was a realness to them that she did not possess. For a moment he wondered if he were dreaming or if she was some illusion conjured by the Enemy to deceive him.

"I don't know what the Istari are," she said. 

"Then are you of light or darkness child? I do not wish to presume, and I will give you the time to explain yourself as I do not wish to hurt one so young."

He really hoped she wasn't the Enemies spawn. If that were the case, then this was some cruel test of allegiance. To be forced to kill a child...

He was surprised when she laughed, as if it was the funniest thing she'd heard. He sent her a serious look hoping to get across the situation she was in was no laughing matter. It didn't deter the amusement in her eyes.

"Sorry, sorry that was just so funny," she said, trying and failing to stop the upward twitch of her lips. "Light and darkness? How am I meant to know? Everyone's done bad things and good things, right?"

Her answer was confusing at best. He had no idea what to make of this strange child with the eyes of a beast, slitted, and yet full of intelligence. She hadn't claimed to be a creature of the Fell however. He had no desire to kill her until he was entirely sure of her nature.

"Let me rephrase. Are you the child of the Enemy?"

"You're going to have to be more specific.”

"Sauron, the Witch King," he said, trying not to lose his patience.

Her eyes grew wide as if in understanding and then she drew silent. Almost as if speaking to herself she continued. "Huh, so Lord of the Rings then.”

"Yes he is the one I speak of, although he is no Lord of us.”

"Well if you're asking if I'm his spawn then no. I don't have much of a connection with anything in this world, let alone him. But really, I don't want to keep talking about things you won't believe anyway. You can take any one of my possessions as thanks, but I'll be needing my gear back. I want to find a way back home."

Strider spun around almost instantly when the cloak dropped. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out a loud breath. He caught the cloak abruptly thrown his way. Looking up at the trees, so barely anything but the tip of her head was in the peripheral of his vision he finally managed to catch what she was doing so brazenly naked. 

“It would be folly of me to let you take back your weapons.”

“But you’re too gentlemanly to stop the little poor naked girl,” she crooned mockingly.

"Your clothes are still damp. You will freeze if you leave," he said, catching her body for a moment and then promptly looking away again with a horrified gape. 

"Ha! Let's see the wind try," she said.

Strider shook his head at the youthful display of stubbornness. She put on her armour and tied back her long hair at the nape of her neck before adding on the thick rope like apparel around her waist to pull it all together. Her dress was incredibly short for a woman, wearing no trousers underneath, ending in the middle of her thighs and showing a fair amount of skin. Strider decided pointedly not to think of a society in which women simply threw away clothes with nary a thought of who was watching them.

"I cannot send you away in good conscience. You are clearly going to freeze before you even have the chance to get lost," Strider said shaking his head.

"Why do you want to help me anyway? What's in it for you?" she asked.

"It’s simply the right thing to do. Accompany me to the nearest Village at least," he offered.

Strider hesitated after giving the offer. He was quick to help, but was now the time? Danger would soon be on his heel. All manner of evil he was used to, but the evil he would no doubt face soon, he was warned would crumble an average man. Though she was a child. A lost girl... he supposed he’d leave her there once he was done, settle her down with someone in Bree who wouldn’t judge her based on odd appearance and superstition. It would be better even to get her to the Elves in Rivendell, but he feared bringing a child along on their perilous journey.

She frowned as if in thought. "Ok I will follow you but only to the nearest Village. I will need to find a way back home. I'm sure it's not anywhere I can travel to via transport, so I'll have to do some research on the way. Oh and... the cold never bothered me anyway."

She laughed, her voice sounding free and thrilled, before she formed her fingers together in practiced hand signs. A gust of hot wind blew up from the ground beneath her and the heat evaporated the dampness in her skin, leaving the air wet for a moment. Strider gaped. She was certainly no kind of creature he'd ever seen. He had never witnessed Mithrandir do anything of the sort.

"So it is true. You are a Wizard?”

"Not a Wizard. From the place I come from we are called Shinobi... there's no direct translation I think you will understand, but we are essentially... wizard-warriors," she said.

"And this is a common ability taught to children?" he asked in disbelief, wondering what kind of society taught such dangerous powers to ones so young and immature.

"Yeah, we practically start learning it the moment we can walk. We use an energy called chakra within us to weave together magic. I'm also very good at hand to hand combat," she said. 

"Fascinating. Your world seems like a fantasy."

"You don't say," she said with the quirk of her lip.

"How old did you say you were?"

"Should be about 14 in a couple of months," she hummed in thought.

Strider had no idea what a child that young was doing out in the wilderness by herself. She was certainly not giving the visage of an evil creature at first, but it only took looking at her unnervingly bright green, almost blue eyes, slitted like a predator, and those sharp green markings tapering to a point at the bridge of her thin nose reminiscent of a serpent, for one to see past the harmless nature of her small form. He resolved he would determine what kind of character she had before doing anything brash.

"I could not in good conscience leave a child to herself. You will have my protection," he pledged.

"Well I personally don't think you need to worry about my safety, but I can't have a travel companion I don't know the name of. You can call me Suzuki Hina."

"I am known as Strider."                                     

"Well then, let's stride on," she said with a grin, pointing towards their path.

He shook his head in amusement. At least she had a sense of humour.

Hina liked her travel companion. She had a feeling she remembered him. He was some main character in another movie she'd watched ages ago and didn't particularly bother to remember. She had recalled her memories of watching and reading Naruto over and over again that the plot had been ingrained forever into her thoughts, but Lord of the Rings had barely crossed her mind in her past life and this one. It had been something Cat was into on the occasion, not something Hina was personally invested in, but she remembered the basics. Some evil bad guy wanted a ring, and some Hobbits, Humans, Elf, and Dwarf were going to go on a quest to drop it in lava. 

She could vividly remember Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, moreso because she had a major crush on the actress, and not really for any other reason. She also remembered how much she admired Sam for being a good friend to Frolo or whatever.

They walked in comfortable silence, only stopping a moment or two to collect necessary things such as firewood for the night. At times Hina would find herself ahead of Strider and force herself to slow down. Overall it was with peaceful companionship that they moved through the forest in tandem, their feet treading silently, and gracefully through the falling autumn leaves.

Hina mumbled at the beginnings of a headache. She held her forehead, scowling a little before feeling the sharp pang of a memory. Aragorn turned to his silent companion, paused for a moment and gently pushed her to sit down.

“Are you ok?”

“Yes, just a little headache,” she replied, wincing.

She could suddenly recall what she was doing before she came here and it wasn’t making her feel any better about the whole situation. She looked at Aragorn, tapping her thighs in thought as she wondered if she should tell him. He did help save her life, and he was the only one she knew in this world. Until she could get some ink supplies and start working on her Fuinjutsu again to mock test a reverse summon, she didn't want to be alone in a foreign place. Plus this man hadn't killed her despite her creepy appearance, that was no doubt considered evil in this world. Before she could tell him why she came here, he handed her his bow.

“To distract you from the pain. Do you wish to shoot?”

“Would I ever!”

Then with practiced ease, Strider took the bow into his arms and showed her how to draw the string back. Hina eagerly took the bow and repeated his movements, only slowing down when he voiced a correction, or adjusted her posture. 

"So this is how you wield a bow huh," she said with a grin as she pulled the string back easily.

"It's no easy feat as one might consider. To draw a long bow requires strength from long hours of training. For you to wield it is impressive," he explained.

"Mate, I've been bench pressing Guy from the tender age of 6. I think I can draw a bow string," she laughed.

Strider had no idea what she meant but he'd learnt enough in his time with her that questions only brought up more questions, so he refrained from asking. She was a surprisingly light-hearted child from what he assumed was a warrior’s background. Why someone so young looked like an experienced veteran was beyond him, how she managed to snark and laugh whilst also being a warrior reminded him of the Dwarves. It was odd to see in a human child... if she was human as she claimed to be. He still hadn't asked about her eyes or the odd pattern on her neck when she so brazenly undressed in front of him to go swimming. To think she had called him a prude for not getting in with her. He shook his head at the memory.

"Do you not have bows in your land?"

"No we use these," she said, pulling out an oddly shaped knife and a sharp circular object with ridges. "It's called a kunai and this one's a shuriken. We can throw both, but the kunai are also good for close combat too. It's a handy dandy thing that saved my life countless times."

"You've been to battle?" Aragorn asked, twisting his head suddenly to look at her in alarm. 

She raised a brow as if suddenly realising that what she said might be alarming, but her smile took her face again and she nodded.

"Many times. I would show you all of my awesome battle scars, but my master decided to get rid of them. Told me it was bad to keep my skin so rough," she lamented.

"That's quite alright. I've seen more of you than I care to in an entire lifetime," he said.

"Ha! Is everyone here so prudish? Come on we were just bathing on a trip. I don't care what size you are, you know," she chuckled.

Aragorn turned to walk away. Nope, he was not dealing with that conversation EVER.

Hina twisted the tender rabbit meat over the fire, sending the animal a little thankful prayer for it’s life. Strider paced around their camp for a little while before he sat next to her, a frown on his face. 

"What's got you in a mood mister grumpy-pants?" she asked.

He huffed out a breath in exasperation as he shook his head. Despite trying her level best to take this whole situation in stride and treat it like a holiday, the worry did also get to Hina. The slight possibility that she might not be able to go back home made her nervous. She had left during an undercover mission. Her presence would be missed by her contacts, and she didn’t want to leave Orochimaru to his own vices without her attendance nearby. Aragorn had entirely different concerns.

"I didn't consider that your presence in town would be ill advised. You see, not only am I likely to meet danger, but your eyes and hair will draw attention to you. I know you are not a creature of the dark, but some might jump to the conclusion."

"Yeah snakes are kinda spooky that way," she chuckled.

Aragorn shook his head and smiled. "You find humour in everything don't you?”

"Hmm, if I kept looking at the negatives; life would be so drab and depressing. Anyway, I have an easy fix for your problem."

Her fingers came together in those odd patterns again, and there was a sudden burst of smoke. In her place was a 30-year-old woman with short cropped brown hair and dark eyes. She was wearing an imitation of his outfit. He blinked in shock.

"Keep your mouth open for longer and you'll swallow flies," she snickered. 

"You are a shapeshifter?"

"Nah, this is a pretty simple illusion any 12-year-old can do from my place. Of course I've mastered it to a level unheard of because I'm that awesome, but it's still just an illusion. Touch my face."

Aragorn complied and when he touched her face it was as if he was going through fog. He was more than impressed. He knew Wizards could call upon great magic during a time of need, but here was one doing amazing magic on a whim.

"Amazing," he whispered.

"I know I am! I mean not to brag or anything but I'm pretty great," she said.

"Yes, and so humble," he replied with a smile of his own.

"Awesome and humble. You should be grateful you got stuck with me," she laughed.

Strider knew she was joking and so joined in with a light chuckle of his own. Her presence was easing him in a dangerous way. Never would he have presumed to act so casually with someone he hardly knew.

"Well we are a day away from Bree, and if you could it would be useful to keep this visage."

"And in this cheese town there is a table stable enough to paint on?" she asked.

Never mind that he had no idea what she meant by 'cheese town' but Aragorn also had no idea what this child intended to do with paint, paper, and a table. He supposed for a second, that maybe like all children she simply enjoyed art, but that seemed extremely unlikely considering she was all sorts of odd.

"You're a queer child aren't you," he mused.

"I wouldn't say queer, but I'm definitely gay," she replied with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"Yes, you do find joy in impossible things. We should set watch for the night."

She snorted in annoyance, as if he had missed something or another. Aragorn decided that he'd stop trying to understand her lest he wanted a permanent migraine.

"Can you tell me a story?" she asked.

"I don't have very many for the ears of a young lady.”

"Aww really? A big scary man like you, out in the woods doing who knows what, doesn't have a story?"

He sighed in mild irritation. She was persistent in an annoying kind of way, but she was also just a child and children's curiosity was always an endearing quality. Although she held none of the innocence that he'd seen on most children. 

"I have a story.”

Hina listened in rapt attention about the story of an age-old war, of the combined forces of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth, and of the betrayal of the Human King Isildur who took the dark ring for himself and bound the fate of his brethren to the dark lord.

“So this Sauron is defeated then?”

“No his power is but tarried. Though this is not something one should talk about before rest. You should sleep.”

Hina frowned and shook her head. “You didn’t wake me up last night for my shift. If you continue this, you will get tired and then it’ll just slow us down.”

Strider smiled at her concern but thought it was unnecessary. “It’s not an issue. Us rangers oft travel alone and are used to sleeping light.”

“Well so am I. We Shinobi go on extended missions into enemy zones, but even we let our teammates take the night watch to let us sleep. I’m surprised you haven’t gone crazy yet! You know what a lack of sleep does to a man?” she asked with wide eyes.

“Sleep child,” he said, calling to calm her down.

“I’m no child. You sleep adult man,” she retorted stubbornly.

Aragorn was once again struck by her stubbornness. He hadn’t the energy to refuse her, so he did as she asked and closed his eyes, though he reminded himself to sleep light still. He didn’t trust this one enough to leave himself so vulnerable.

He hadn’t missed the alertness and odd seriousness in her posture during the entire time she was awake. He expected she would grow tired and doze off even if she didn’t outright sleep, but her eyes were keen and sharp in the darkness, glowing with luminous light like a feline at night. He knew in that moment that she was no creature of darkness, certainly not the light, but maybe something else.

The next day as they entered Bree, Hina had taken to putting on a Henge to make herself look like a slightly shorter male ranger like Aragorn was. She had remembered this world was more male dominated in certain fields and actively barred women from them. While females were certainly not the largest Shinobi population, they weren’t discouraged from joining, in fact they were highly sought after for things like infiltration and seduction—the jobs most Shinobi didn’t want, but certain highly trained females could do better than any man if given the opportunity. Not that there weren’t specific roles for male seduction, but they were rarer to come by. There was just something about the traditional small, dainty female figure that begged to be underestimated in combat. It was of course an incredible advantage in Hina’s eyes. Oftentimes she was looked down upon for her age itself, which she also used to advantage in battle.

As it stood here though, she didn’t want to be different. If Strider’s warnings meant anything, being different would probably ostracise her. She had figured acting like a ranger, a known occupation in this world, would ensure that she passed by unnoticed. If she’d known that rangers had a mysterious sort of reputation to them, she would have gone for a plain travelling woman instead.

The town they entered together was definitely medieval looking, and the cobblestone ground was uneven and jagged, something she wasn’t used to with Konoha’s more advanced tiling system. It really put into perspective how lucky she was to have ended up in a world with proper plumbing in her second life. She wasn’t unused to living with nature though, so this wouldn’t be so culturally shocking either way, but she enjoyed her amnesties. 

They had bought a room for the week in an inn called the Prancing Pony. Hina dropped her henge the moment she walked into the privacy of the room and dropped on the bed.

“An actual bed on a mission! Oh the joy,” she said, throwing herself onto the bed.

“Mission?” Aragorn asked with a raised brow.

She turned to her side and her eyebrows lifted a little in realisation and she scratched her nose abashedly.

“Right, not a mission. So why are you staying here for a whole week exactly? Aren’t you rangers meant to roam the wild?” she asked.

He looked uncomfortable by the question and Hina wished she hadn’t asked. Not that she didn’t want to be told the exact details, but she already had in mind what exactly was happening here, and Strider looked uncomfortable with her being about. She understood him well. An unknown like her appearing out of nowhere at such a crucial point in his people’s history was surely suspicious.

“I am not at liberty to speak so freely of my intentions here. You must understand, I hardly know you and the business of rangers are their own,” he said.

“Well makes sense. I won’t ask again if you get me paper, a brush, and some ink,” she bartered.

“And that’s all you wish for?” he asked, sending her a second glance.

“Well if you’re willing to give me more, I’ll trade you a scroll of mine for a pair of pants,” she said with a hopeful glint in her eyes. “It’s not this bloody cold where I come from.”

Ah, that explained the shortness of her attire. Maybe her peoples were less opposed to the showing of skin because of the climate Aragorn mused.

“I won’t take payment for a simple pair of pants and some basic utensils. Not for a child in need,” Aragorn finally replied.

Apparently, the girl didn’t like that answer if her expression was anything to go by. “You’ve helped me a lot already. Take my payment so I don’t feel like I’m abusing your worry,” she said, pulling out what was essentially a paper tag with some symbols drawn onto it.

“If this is the currency of your home, I fear it will not work here.”

She shook her head. “No these are paper tags. This one explodes during a collision, so you don’t need chakra to activate it. I’m sure you could use it too.”

Aragorn would have normally refused the payment either way, but his curiosity was piqued. He’d seen the girl’s casual display of magic and couldn’t so easily dismiss something as ridiculous as exploding papers.

“And these runes on the paper are for the magic I’m to assume?” he asked.

“Exactly,” she said grinning. “Fuinjutsu is an ancient and troublesome art, that I’ve dedicated my life—well part of my life anyway—to decoding. These are pretty basic tags, but if you get me that paper and ink, I asked for then you can expect a whole lot more.”

Of course she didn’t want those supplies for art. At this stage he supposed that would have surprised him more. He took the paper tag and placed it in a secure pouch before bidding her farewell. He didn’t think he needed to remind her of caution if she decided to leave the room. He had a feeling she knew how to take care of herself without him, although the fact that she was still a child did make him worry slightly.

After Hina got her pants, things were looking a little nicer… well at least there wasn’t an unending cold draft going up her thighs and freezing her at every moment. The chill from her walk the day before had left a near constant trail of unwanted goosebumps.

Beyond that she had finally gotten her ink and paper. As it turned out, infusing chakra into Fuinjutsu in this world was incredibly hard with how chaotic the energy around her was. It certainly didn’t like her seals for some reason. It annoyed her that the energy of the world had a mind of its own when her world had a nice chakra system that minded its own business and was nicely malleable to your whims. So a normal seal took her twice the time to create and twice the energy. But she did manage to make a basic summoning scroll. 

Then she had tried to call her summon, a small one without much mind to it and found that it drained so much of her chakra, that she knew she would have instantly killed herself if she tried summoning either Amaru or Ryunosuke, who were both talking, higher ranked summons. Other than that she mostly asked Strider about this world of his and kept away from anything to do with his business.

She had a feeling Strider was actually concerned by her lack of curiosity because after four days of them living in the inn, he finally asked her if she was not at all concerned for his duty here. She shook her head, reminding him that she was a mercenary and a soldier and knew when to not sniff out someone else’s private affairs. She was more curious about other things anyway, like what kind of alcohol they had in this world that she had missed in Konoha. Well she would have indulged a little, just for nostalgia’s sake considering she couldn’t get drunk anyway, if Strider hadn’t banned her from alcohol because of her age. 

It was on their fifth day at the inn that Strider let in a woman into their room. Hina had not had the time to put up a Henge and so she was met with the audible gasp of a woman she didn’t know. She sent Strider an alarmed look and he replied with a mildly apologetic glance.

“You’re right, the lass does look odd,” the woman said in awe. “Like the offspring of an Elf and a tree.”

“Those exist?” Hina asked Strider.

He shook his head and Hina sent the two adults a dubious look. She had no idea who this woman was or why Strider had brought her here. In fact, it surprised her that he’d do something like this without telling her first, which did annoy her a great deal.

“Hina, forgive me for not being straight forward but this is Gertrude. She owns the mill down at the end of the village, a private space where she has offered to shelter you.”

“Shelter me?” Hina trailed off. “What about you? I thought you’d take me along…”

Hina realised how silly that sounded the moment she voiced it. She needed a permanent spot to sit down and work through her Fuinjutsu. Strider was going to leave the moment the Hobbits got here, and things went to shit with Sauron. She knew logically that given a few months of study and experiments in a stable environment where she could practice her reverse summon, she could find a way home. What Strider was offering her was what she originally wanted.

But not what she wanted anymore…

This world felt different, more chaotic and wilder in its energy. It was honestly disorienting and uncomfortable, but she could ignore that, because for once in her life she wouldn’t have to go back to the hell hole she called her life. No family, no friends, surrounded by people who’d want to use her and who she used in return. Strider by comparison was the first honourable man she’d seen in a long time, someone who despite not knowing her at all, had treated her kindly. He could have easily dismissed her as evil, called her a witch and tried to kill her, or left her there to freeze and die. But he hadn’t and he was the only person she knew in this foreign land. She didn’t want to leave it. It was a selfish desire to stay here in the safety of good people, where her own morals would not be muddled, that kept her here.

"I'm sorry Hina, but there is no need for me to pull you into the dangers of my life," he apologised. 

"I don't know anyone else here Strider-san," Hina admitted unsurely as she looked at the woman. 

"It's clear the poor lass is lost. Are you sure she isn't some sort of tree spirit?” Gertrude asked.

“She’s of magic, but nothing dark. It is possible,” Strider settled for.

Hina raised a brow at him for that. He knew she wasn’t a tree spirit or the like. At least she wasn’t known as vege-chan here though… she always did try to look on the positive side. Gertrude from the looks of things seemed to be a rather kind and accepting woman. If Hina stayed she knew she would be looked after, but she didn’t want to leave Strider. Something about staying hidden and not being on the move made her antsy. She didn’t want to live hidden away again, not when she’d left behind the need to.

“Would you mind living with us until you find a way home, lass?” she asked.

“If you cannot find a way, I will do all that is possible to come back here as quickly as I can if my other duties do not interfere,” Strider promised.

The two earnest people she was met with made Hina’s heart drop. They were too kind, too trusting. It reminded her of Guy and his endlessly open heart. No doubt he felt a great loss after hearing her turn traitor, but Hina knew that beyond his pain there was love. This felt all too similar, and it was unnatural only in the fact that it had happened so quickly. Sure there was a level of secrecy and distrust, but they meant well. It was more than she could say about the people in her life currently.

“Allow me to stay with Strider until he leaves,” she compromised. 

“Why is that lass?” Gertrude asked.

“I want to make sure he’s ok. I owe him my life, so once I see that he is safe I can go in peace to hide at your place.”

“That is a fair compromise, isn’t it Strider? This one seems to value your safety,” Gertrude said in amusement, likely thinking that Strider could take care of himself.

“Fine, but you will stay here once I take my leave,” he said sternly.

Hina nodded but didn’t make any promises. She knew something dark was coming this way, something dangerous that wanted to take lives, and she would be a terrible person if she didn’t help repay a life-debt. 

“Thank you, Strider-san, Gertrude-san. I think my debt is growing,” Hina said.

“Think nothing of it lass, and it’s just Gertrude for you. None of this ‘san’ business.”

“Of course Gertrude,” Hina amended with a smile.

The woman waved at her before leaving. Hina turned to Strider and crossed her arms.

“Why didn’t you tell me before bringing her here?” she asked accusingly.

“I didn’t want to startle you, and I knew once you met the kind lady you would understand why I revealed you to her. Gertrude is one of the few souls I’ve found travelling this world that remains kind to those she doesn’t understand,” Strider explained.

“Sure, sure, I would have trusted your judgement either way Strider-san. You seem to forget that you saved my life and helped me when you didn’t need to as well. You have my trust even if you keep your secrets, but that means I also value a more forthcoming relationship. No surprises please,” Hina explained.

“That is fair. Then will you join me for some company at lunch. I want to hear more about your lands.”

Hina eyed the man critically for a second, wondering if she should disclose her situation to him, and then decided that wasn’t something she wanted to burden him with. She didn’t have any qualms with telling him the lore behind her world though. That was something she wanted to see his reaction to in fact. She took a moment before smiling and nodding at his request. This would be fun!

Hina had regaled the story of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, how he came about chakra and distributed it to the people to bring connection and how the people instead twisted it into jutsu to bring war. She told him about the nations and their culture, how Hokages worked, how Shinobi contracted to do mundane things like weeding and guarding trade caravans, but also things like sabotage, assassinations and spy-craft. Strider seemed to take the information with a mildly wide-eyed look, occasionally sipping his drink in disbelief and voicing his concerns rarely.

“And there is a school specifically to teach children to become Shinobi? At what age does this begin?” he asked.

“Usually you start at the age of 5 and then graduate at 12, but me being me, and being super awesome graduated at 6.”

“They allowed a child that young to get involved in such dangerous business?”

It took the rather angry vehemence of Strider’s voice to remind Hina that it wasn’t seen as an accomplishment to be lauded around in this world, that they took protecting their children a lot more seriously. It made her smile drop almost instantly as she remembered children younger than 15 bleeding and dying in the battlefield. No, it was not something to be praised. How could she have forgotten? There was once a time when she thought it a vile practice too… and then the years of respect she earnt from it, and constantly seeing children out there fighting and bleeding had made it almost normal.

“Sorry I didn't mean it as an insult. It just baffles me how evil your people must be to allow such things to continue,” Strider said softer in tone, hoping he hadn’t shamed the child for something she clearly took pride in.

“No… I guess you’re right. It’s just something that everyone normally respects and praises. It’s viewed as an accomplishment where I’m from… but you made me remember that it’s not something to be happy about.”

“And you weeded gardens and painted fences, correct. So it must not have been horrible,” he backtracked.

Hina didn’t make a comment on that and instead ate her meat. No she hadn’t weeded gardens and painted fences for very long. Maybe 3 months or so until they threw her right into battle, not caring whether she would die or not. That was the nature of war. People would do evil things in the name of good, and she’d come to realise that was an inevitability, not a choice.

“Well I am an anomaly where I come from too, although I had a friend back home who beat me every time. Graduated at 5, became a Chunin at 7, and a Jounin at 11. Always a year ahead of me,” she reminisced with a smile. “Now he works as an ANBU, the highest rank given to any Shinobi other than the Hokage himself, a secret force that carries out the most challenging of orders… and I am not with him.”

“Maybe there is a reason you are here instead of there. Not all journeys are simple and easy to understand,” Strider said.

Hina nodded. Yes, he was right in a way. It took a different culture to remind her how wrong aspects of hers were. She remembered as a child, viewing children going into battle as ridiculous and evil, and she had desensitised herself to it so much that it had become the norm. A lot of vile things had. Maybe Strider was right, and this journey would give her some better perspective.

“Maybe you are right. This is a welcome break. It feels like all the stresses of that world have disappeared when I came here.”

“That is good to hear.”

And the genuine way he smiled made Hina brighten up. Yes, she knew that smile was a rare sight. Behind the tired and sulking disposition was a man with some levity.

It was good to finally find some comradery. 

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 2

Internally she thought the fact that she hadn’t verbally agreed meant she held to no such oath. She also knew that the people in this world probably weren’t so deceiving with their intentions or cared so much about the wording than they did the concept of the promise itself. But she was a Shinobi, and it didn’t take much to remind her of the fact that while she couldn’t lie to save her life, she was still good at deceiving people. She would not have survived in the maw of Akatsuki for long if she wasn’t good at detracting her words and carefully planning her sentences.

The howling wind guided the bullet like rain outside. Looking through the dripping glass, out into the muddy streets below, Hina felt like the world was setting itself up for some dark arrival, as if changing tune. Strider tapped the wooden table at which they frequented often. Tap, tap. Like a bird ready to flee, his movements were sudden and quick, setting Hina in the same awful flighty mood too.

When the bar door opened to reveal 4 small figures, Hina knew she couldn’t stay out of it anymore. Strider was in trouble, and Hina had come to like the stoic man wearied by this unseen burden of his. Yet she had told him that she would not follow, although she had only insinuated it. Shinobis delt in schematics but it was clear that the people in this world weren’t so deceiving with their intentions. Strider was the honest kind of man that didn’t care so much about the wording than he did the concept of the promise itself.

Hina levelled Strider a look, fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. “You’re looking at them an awful lot.”

“I fear tonight is our last night together Hina. I have business with these folk.”

“They’re so tiny. I can see why you’d want business with them if they’re all this cute,” Hina said, making a little love heart sign with her hands, and grinning in an over the top fashion. Strider sent her a raised brow and smoked his pipe at the same time. Hina wasn’t so sure he didn’t see through her attempt at lightening the tense mood.

“What, you don’t like cute things? Then why do business with them—wait a minute, never mind I promised I wouldn’t poke into your business.”

“Hn”

“Did you just go Uchiha on me?”

Strider didn’t reply again. The child wasn’t exactly a talkative one. She could go hours without speaking a word when she wanted to, but then just as quickly she would begin poking and prodding at him to get a reaction. His attention turned to the more important task at hand. The Hobbit who Gandalf had told him to protect was here with the One Ring. He could feel his instincts tell him it was here. Then he watched to his absolute shock as the dark-haired Hobbit fell and the ring dropped onto his finger. The Hobbit had vanished entirely. Strider got to his feet almost instantly.

Hina sipped at her water watching on in interest as Strider caught the reappearing Hobbit and dragged him by his cloak's hoodie. The Hobbit was dragged up like a simple feather weight by the tall man. She stepped lightly behind Strider, following him like a shadow up the stairs and into the room he threw the Hobbit into.

“You draw far too much attention to yourself Mr Underhill,” he said in a whisper as he grabbed the little Hobbit and threw him into a room.

Hina followed out of curiosity, but mostly because she didn’t want to see Frolo, or whatever his name was, get hurt. He was the cutest little thing she’d seen, and she was a protector of cute things.

“What do you want?” the Hobbit asked, getting to his feet, and putting on a brave face.

“A little more caution from you. That’s no trinket you carry,” he warned.

“I carry nothing!”

“Indeed. I can avoid being seen if I wish,” he said putting out the candles in the room, “but turning invisible entirely—that is a rare gift.”

“Not really, I can be pretty invisible if I want to as well,” Hina chimed in.

Strider spun around, nearly drawing his sword, when he drew in a sharp breath to see Hina behind him. He shut his eyes and calmed his nerves. Of course the odd child had decided to follow him.

“Who are you both?” ‘Mr Underhill’ asked, wide eyed and confused.

“I’m Suzuki Hina, and this is—”

“This is not the time Hina,” Strider warned with a frown. “Go to Gertrude now. Our time together is at an end.”

“Nuh-uh, I won’t let you scare away such a cute creature,” Hina said, putting a hand on the Hobbit’s shoulder and startling him at her sudden appearance by his side.

Hina almost regretted giving Strider the headache he no doubt had because of her stubbornness, but she thought having a Shinobi on this trip of his would save them a whole lot of heartache. Less death for sure. She remembered Sean Bean dying… yet again… but then again that had been the actor, and now this was a real person—a fact she had become too used to unfortunately. Plus she owed this man her life.

“There is a dark force that hunts these Hobbits Hina. I do not want you involved—”

Before Strider could say more, the door was busted open by three very cutely armed Hobbits. Hina didn’t like the way she had to rely on her scent to know they were coming. Normally she could just tell by chakra alone, and this place stunk so she’d rather keep her senses muted.

“Let him go or I'll have you, Longshanks!” the fat one shouted.

Strider smiled as he sheathed his sword. Hina looked on in amusement as well. To think they came in brandishing some candles and a chair as weaponry. This whole thing was too adorable for her. Even Strider’s normally gruff disposition had lightened to show a fond smile.

“You have a stout heart, little Hobbit, but that alone won't save you...You can no longer wait for the Wizard, Frodo. They're coming.”

“And how do we know we can trust you. We don’t know anything about you?” the fat hobbit asked before he seemed to notice Hina by the corner.

Hina was glad she had her Henge on because she suspected the little folk wouldn’t know what to make of her otherwise.

“And who is that?”

“Hmm I’m new so I have no name here, but I’m not so mysterious. You can call me Hina,” she introduced herself.

“And you are leaving now,” Strider said sternly. “If you can, set up an illusion at their rooms and then go straight to Gertrude. Do not dally.”

“Ok, ok, fine,” she grumbled, crossing her arms and stalking out of the room.

Yeah, right like she was just going to leave them defenceless and outnumbered. She did do as Strider asked though, stealthily moving to the Hobbits rooms and rigging the place up. She contemplated putting explosive tags inside the pillows so it would blow up in their face if they stabbed it, but then decided against it. The explosive tags she had on her would probably destroy the entire inn considering how weak the architecture in this poor town was. She didn’t want to destroy the innkeeper’s livelihood.

She didn’t leave with Gertrude. Instead she made herself scarce and stayed in the shadows watching and listening from afar. She could feel the energy in the room beyond to be warped and wrong, like the cute little Hobbit was. Hina remembered the ring. How could she not? It was in the name of the title, and she remembered very little else about this world and its future other than the fact that the ring would need to be thrown into lava in Mordor.

Waiting wasn’t a fun game, but it was one she was used to. In the dead of night the dark riders had come in. She didn’t know what they were called, or their names, but she felt off in their presence. She didn’t think she would ever describe energy or chakra as vile, but they had that distorting effect about them. She supposed this world's magic was sensitive to her like chakra had been, but chakra had never been so oppressively light and dark, it just was.

They attacked the beds where the Hobbits should be laying. All the Wraiths hit was illusions of the Hobbits she had rigged the place with. Hina then positioned herself in the room adjacent to the party, hiding herself away in a corner and using her enhanced hearing to keep an eye on Strider, who she thought would learn to appreciate her skills in the future when they came in handy.

“What are they?” Frodo asked.

“They were once men. Great Kings of men. Then Sauron the deceiver gave unto them Nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living or dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring... drawn to the power of the one… they will never stop hunting you,” Strider explained.

Well that explained things. With that said she decided that she would definitely need to visit Gertrude before Strider inevitably came to check in on her. She didn’t think he’d allow her to travel with them if she asked now. However if they were already halfway there on their journey and she made her presence known, it wasn’t like he would send a poor, innocent, vulnerable child back on her own. She grinned cheekily at her plans. Sometimes it was better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

Hina didn’t have much on her at all except the clothes on her back, the weapons in her pouch, and one tiny sealing scroll holding some items like chakra pills, her Fūma Shuriken, her recent mission scroll from her secret contact, her father’s omamori, and the flute Rui had gifted her with some of sheet music for practice. Beyond that she didn’t really require much at all. Her body was heavily engineered and so she didn’t have the monthly issue to worry about, and she required very little food and sleep to function, her primary weapon was her hands, the Fuma Shuriken she carried around with her was sealed, and because most poisons were moot on her body she didn’t need to carry around as many emergency antidote packs as others usually did.

She didn’t take off her armour though. That was something she was unwilling to part with, as it had been a present from Gaku-sensei whom she missed dearly. So even when she entered Gertrude’s small cottage home, she had entered fully armed. The woman seemed to find that a little odd, but she invited her in regardless.

“There is no one else here I need to introduce myself to?” Hina asked.

“No, my husband passed along 3 winters ago, and now I am alone,” she said sadly, but with a smile still on her face. “It’s a pleasure of mine to invite new and interesting guests. Strider showed me that the unknown is often more fascinating than it is scary. So please don’t be offended if this old lady asks questions to sate her curiosity.”

“Well you can ask away for tonight as much as you want. I know it’s going to be hard to believe but I’m from another world entirely, so it doesn’t matter much to me if people here know my secrets,” Hina said openly.

And how odd it was to be so open. Shinobi were, by trade, enshrouded in their secrets and deceit. It had become a part of her to her core, but once long ago she had been an honest being, one who felt no need to lie or to trick. It seemed this world had a way of pulling the old her out of its shell, the one that had receded to make way for a darker life that required more protection.

“My, a whole other world? That is hard to believe,” the woman gasped.

“Yes well, maybe it’s simply from a distant shore beyond even the elves homeland rather than another world entirely,” Hina tried, hopefully to make this information a little easier for Gertrude to understand. “I’m still not a common sight there. This green hair is sort of rare, but there are people with pink hair and red hair the colour of deep crimson, and blue hair like the sky… and purple hair that smells of plum…”

Hina realised she had dragged at the memory of Anko. She pulled her attention back to the present and put on a smile that had faded before at the mention of said name.

“My, it must be such a fascinating world. Why can we not speak of it past tonight?” Gertrude asked.

“I’m going to travel with Strider,” Hina replied truthfully.

“He would not allow it,” Gertrude said, crossing and folding her arms.

Hina smirked in defiance. “Well he’s not my master so he can’t really tell me what to do. Plus I’m a lot stronger than I look and I have magic. So he will be safer with me. I just don’t want you to tell him tomorrow when he comes by. I want to surprise him on the trip.”

“That sounds like a terrible idea, and I would not see a child travel so soon after such darkness had galloped into our homes.”

“Well between you and me I’m actually 50 years old. I only look young,” Hina admitted, hoping to talk to her sensibilities.

“Ha! Good try young lass, but your trickery is easy to see through,” Gertrude laughed. “Now then come on and humour an old lady. Have some stew and show me this magic of yours. If it’s impressive enough I might just agree to your plan.”

“Deal,” Hina grinned.

Her ‘magic’ had in fact impressed Gertrude, and the woman would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that the child in front of her could easily take care of herself. So she reluctantly agreed to not give away her plans to follow Strider. Said ranger had walked in at the early hours of the morning to check in on the child.

“Is she in there?” he asked the woman.

“Yes, and she’s a fascinating child indeed. Performed feats I never thought I’d be given the opportunity to witness.”

“Yes, I fear she’s gone through quite a lot to get that power, more than she lets on anyway. I see the shadows in her eyes, and where I am going there is only more. It would bring me peace if she stays here with you, somewhere safe and away.”

“If that is what she wants. I certainly can’t keep the lass here if she didn’t want to be here,” Gertrude laughed.

“Indeed, she is a free spirit. But I must go. Do not tell her of my departure. I have a feeling she would try and follow should I say my farewells.”

“Of course.”

Strider, being a rather apt and to the point man, had left after those few words; squeezing the woman’s hand in thanks that spoke more than his words could. Gertrude watched him go fondly and then turned with a mild frown to face the child who hadn’t taken off her armour even in sleep.

“Have you taken the pack I made you. It holds enough food for two weeks,” Gertrude asked worriedly.

“Thanks so much for your hospitality Gertrude-san. If it means anything, I think you’re the fascinating one. All those stories those travellers gave you has made you a treasure trove of joy,” Hina praised.

“Oh quit your ruthless flattery lass. Don’t worry about leaving payment. Your story happens to be the biggest treasure in my trove,” she joked.

Hina didn’t expect to be hugged, and while that was a pleasant experience, the hair ruffling was certainly not. It reminded her of Orochimaru. One moment gentle, and another holding to her scalp like a predator to prey. She shivered at the touch, but she wasn’t so young now as to react to it violently like she did before. With time she learnt to quell the horrors in her heart. It was easier to be joking and jovial instead of dwelling in that hard place. In that sense she had begun to understand Anko’s method of coping.

“Bye Gertrude-san. I’ll come back someday if I get the chance,” Hina said truthfully.

“Be safe lass.”

Hina kept herself to tracking the party from a distance, not really sure if she could hide herself from Strider’s eyes if she went too close. They weren’t nearly a good enough distance away from Bree for him to not tell her to go back alone. She followed behind them for days, making sure to keep her steps light and leave behind no trace of her presence. It wasn’t so hard since she was used to it now. It was on the fifth day, once the sun had nearly set and the party had stopped at a watchtower of sorts that Hina had decided it was time to make her way closer.

She walked up the tower walls easily enough and took in a deep breath to both calm herself down and to find Strider. He stunk to high heavens which made it easy enough. Hina held her nose and scowled. What was it with people in this world and not taking a bath every day? Even she, a Shinobi used to travelling in the wild, would suffer the cold river waters to remove the stench. It would be so easy to spot these people in the wilds of the Elemental Nations considering how little they bathed. But the more she thought about it the more she realised that bathing out here wouldn’t give them the same protection that it would back at home. No one here had the scent of an Inuzuka after all.

“Who goes there. Show yourself?” Strider demanded; his tone harsher than she’d ever heard it.

Hina stepped out of the shadows with a sheepish smile and her hands up in a surrender motion. Strider looked at her in disbelief as he put away his sword.

“What are you doing here Hina? I thought I told you specifically to stay at Bree?” Strider asked angrily.

“Well—that was before I saw the Wraiths and thought you’d need some help against them if they really are tracking you,” she huffed.

“You were eavesdropping?” he demanded.

“I was only doing it because there was danger and I want to keep you safe,” Hina explained.

“What was that you said about being forthcoming?” Strider said, turning her own words to her.

Hina felt a little shame at her deception, especially towards such an honest man. She looked down feeling like an admonished child again, but before she could apologise the air around them distorted into darkness and there was a horrifying screech.

“The Hobbits!” Strider shouted, forgetting Hina entirely as he rushed up the tower’s stairs to the highest peak.

Hina used her shunshin to travel quickly towards the hobbits to find them surrounded by 5 cloaked figures, all oozing that dark energy that made it hard for her to think. It felt almost as suffocating as the energy from that accursed ring. Before the wraith could stab its blade into Frodo, she rushed forward with her chakra. Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger

Fire Release: Flame Bullet!

Hina pelted the fell creature with flame, making it screech and jump away as its clothes caught on fire, and then she jumped in-between the group of Hobbits and moved into her circle step form. Like usual she couldn’t control the almost glee like emotion that rose with battle, but today it felt unquenchable, like she was craving blood. No, she demanded blood. Her mind went hazy with that darkness as she rushed forward in a gust of wind release and punched the Nazgul with a chakra enhanced fist straight into the armour plate, leaving a fist sized dent and sending it flying.

“Come at me fuckers!” she laughed excitedly, as she jumped back and performed another jutsu.

Wind Release: Wind Blade Torrent!

Several sharp gusts of chakra enhanced blade like winds shot at the Nazgul pushing them back. They dodged quickly but one was caught in its blade and was cut straight in half. To her shock all she saw was a dark mist filling in the gap before they rushed at her again. Hina laughed eagerly at the challenge as she pulled out her kunai and began blocking their combined blows. Not soon after Strider had come in blocking a blow that would have otherwise hit her.

It took Frodo’s scream to bring her attention away from the Ring-Wraith in front of her. She turned to see the Hobbit come back into visibility as he cried out in pain. Hina spun through the hand seals and summoned a fire dragon from her mouth, spurring it on with a torrent of wind chakra to enhance the flame, turning it bright blue with her impeccable chakra control. The heat of the flame itself seemed to turn the Wraith’s armour a bright hot red, as if it were in the fires of creation. It let out an inhumane screech as it fell back and down the tower.

Strider made quick work of the remaining Nazgul and Hina felt the darkness recede with their presence. She realised her breathing had deepened, and she still felt the urge to kill despite the fight clearly being over. Noticing how unnatural that was for her, she deliberately took in a deep breath and calmed herself, only noticing later that Aragorn had gone quickly to Frodo’s side.

“Help him!” Sam demanded.

“He’s been stabbed by a Morgul blade,” Strider hissed as he threw the disintegrating blade aside. “This is beyond my ability to heal. He needs Elvish medicine.”

Strider picked up the Hobbit and made his way down without waiting for the others. Hina caught up to him quickly but noted how he was ignoring her pointedly. She felt guilty for not having been able to stop the attack on Frodo. She was meant to be a magnitude stronger than the people here, but she still failed when it came to saving lives.

“Hurry,” he gestured.

“We’re six days from Rivendell! We’ll never make it,” Sam cried out.

“Give him to me, I’ll run him there much quicker,” Hina offered.

“Who is she?!” Sam shouted hysterically.

Hina winced at the sound, but she couldn’t exactly blame him. All the stress was probably getting to him in this moment and seeing Frodo cry in pain made her remember the hopelessness she felt when Kusari lay dying in her arms from a poison she had no cure for.

“You should not be here! I cannot entrust him to you. I saw you with the Wraiths, you had lost control of yourself. There was madness in your eyes. It was why I told you to stay at Bree!”

“But I can run twice the speed of a horse if you just trust—”

“—There is no trust here,” he said, stopping to push her chest angrily.

Hina gave pause at the furious expression on his face. She hadn’t thought he would react this badly to her deceit. Then again, she had been praised by Orochimaru so many times when she lied, and cheated, and took what she wanted without honesty, that it almost felt odd to be yelled at for it. But she knew Strider was a man of integrity and honour—and she should not have abused that trust.

“You may not be a Fell creature, but you certainly have the disposition,” he hissed before he left her dumbstruck and turned to run again.

Hina did not cry, she stewed. In a way she knew he was correct. She was a creature moulded by darkness, corrupted beyond any redemption, which was why despite her heart longing for a simple stable life, she had willingly chosen to play a double agent in Akatsuki. She wanted redemption but she didn’t know how without murder and deceit and a raping of everything that was good. She had not even noticed the Hobbits run cautiously by her towards Strider as she stood there looking at the ground in shock at his words.

Not knowing what else to do she eventually decided to run back to the group. She knew what the ring was, and it did not bode well for her at all. There was a gravity to it, a certain enticing pull towards a promised whisper of power. Power had always been a necessity, this intangible, yet undeniable object of her desire. It was this vague means to achieve the protection and safety she craved. And the ring… well the ring was all that and more. Somehow, she figured that’s why Strider did not want her here. He didn’t want her to have it. In fact he seemed repelled by the idea of it. But whatever reservations he had of her joining them, did not compare to the danger they would be in without her. She was strong here. She could help.

She jumped through the trees to make quicker ground and then jogged up to Strider once again. She resolved herself to not pause at any more words said in anger. If taking his anger silently meant she could stay and keep them alive, she would do just that.

“Then let me carry you while you carry him. Then that way we can make it to Rivendell in 2 days,” Hina said.

It was a ridiculous image that she painted, which was why Strider scoffed. “Impossible. And what will we do with the 3 Hobbits we leave behind? I do not trust Frodo with you, and I will not leave them here alone either. Now come, I won’t have you travel by yourself, even if you are a risk.”

Hina stopped herself from making a biting remark. The ring even now felt like a bright presence, something that demanded her attention. Despite all her power she could not just simply carry Frodo there quicker like she intended while it lingered so close to her reach. But she could take it and run it to Mordor if they gave her a map. In her hands it would be there quickly. But Strider clearly didn’t trust her with it, and betraying him again felt more wrong than taking the ring and just ending this whole conflict. She ruminated her misgivings until they settled down for the night. The inhumane sounds of the Nazgul screeched behind them.

“They’re close,” Merry said, pulling his knees closer to his chest.

“Who are you again?” Pippin asked the strange girl.

Hina stoked the fire and turned to the Hobbit with as kind a smile as she could muster in her worry. “You’ll remember me as the Ranger from before.”

“But you were a grown man then!” said Pippin.

“I was under an illusion to look like a grown man. This is my true form,” she explained.

“Is she with the enemy? Here to trick us?” Sam asked Strider, warning in his voice.

Hina hesitated to wait for his reply and was relieved when Aragorn shook his head in her defence. “She is no fell creature. She is a foreigner from beyond the seas, who’s heart is weak and has no business being near the one ring.”

Hina sunk back further at his scrutinising eyes. She supposed she deserved it, but she could help, and it was frustrating that he wouldn’t allow her to. The group kept a wary eye on her as they continued on their journey. Hina didn’t know what to do. She’d messed up terribly and contemplated just going back to Bree and researching her way home… but she didn’t want to. The short week she had spent with Strider was the most calming week she had experienced in years. She selfishly wanted to hold onto it, even if he now kept her at arm’s length, so she travelled discreetly, keeping away from the group’s sight.

With each day Hina could feel the darkness twist the poor Hobbit in Aragorn’s hands, and it frustrated her that he would have been to safety by now if she could have just been strong enough to resist whatever energy was calling to her from the cursed ring.

“Sam, come here. Do you know the Athelas plant?”

Sam looked down in thought and then it turned into confusion. “Athelas?”

“Aye. Kingsfoil.”

“Kingsfoil, aye. It's a weed,” Sam said.

“It may help to slow the poison. Hurry!”

Hina followed after Strider into the forest. She did not want to pester him in his hurried search, but she needed him to accept her place here. She had been hesitant to approach him before only because he was with the group, but now she could speak to him in private. Not that she could leave if she wanted to as she didn’t know the way back to Bree. These foreign stars above her were as alien as she was in this land.

“Strider… I’m sorry for my deception. You’re an honest man and I shouldn’t have—” she said, wringing her fingers together before she trailed off.

Strider sighed for a moment and then nodded. “From what little I know of you I suppose it is a matter of how you were raised, is it not?”

Hina was surprised he’d managed to deduct that correctly. She hadn’t really spoken much about her own past, although she did tell him about her world. She nodded hesitantly, unsure about opening up about something personal like that.

“I will not trick you again… if you want to leave me behind it’s ok,” she said.

Strider turned to her and huffed. She didn’t mean to flinch when he ruffled her hair, but she was peculiar with that motion and it seemed people in this world enjoyed doing it too much. Noting her discomfort at the touch he stopped and Hina was grateful. Explaining that away in the Elemental Nations was easy. Every Shinobi had a tick, something that made them edgy. Here she was not sure the explanation would allow her to be as brief as it was back home.

“I will not throw you into the wilderness when Wraiths are about, but once we get to Rivendell, there you will stay. You will not go without my permission.”

Hina nodded and this time decided to be honest. “I will listen to you this time. I won’t lie.”

“Good girl, now let me be on my search.”

Hina had not expected such ready forgiveness from Aragorn after his earlier anger. Maybe all he required was the truth. He deserved it from her. Despite her wandering thoughts, Hina caught the sudden change in the air. The ominous drum of the dark forest was replaced by something entirely contrasting, a soothing kind of melodical light. She turned around abruptly using her chakra enhanced speed to body flicker behind the source. The bright presence had gone to draw her sword, but Hina had her in her grasp before her hands even reached the hilt. She pulled the kunai closer to the woman’s neck and tightened her hold on her arm.

“What do you want?” Hina asked with a dangerous hilt to her voice.

“At ease Hina! She is not an enemy!” shouted Strider.

“She meant to draw her blade onto you!”

“Trust me Hina. She is not an enemy,” he repeated, holding her blade and pulling it away from the woman’s neck.

Hesitantly Hina pulled the cold blade from her assailant’s neck and was met with the face of someone too stunning to be in this world. Long brown locks, seemed to drape around her shoulders and back in perfect natural curls, her deep blue eyes were unearthly, and her whole aura was a shining white light. The first thing that came to her mind was a light bulb. And then she saw the ears and it dawned on her.

“An Elf,” she whispered in disbelief.

She’d watched enough fantasy, read enough books, and played enough games to know an Elf when she saw one, yet it did not prepare her to actually meet one. A part of her was about to die of excitement, and another was telling her to run away from this suffocatingly white aura.

“Indeed child, I do not bring harm,” she said placatingly before she turned to Strider and the fondness in her eyes grew. The two shared a moment together under the moonlit sky, a silent moment that conveyed more than an entire conversation could. Hina saw the way Strider seemed to lose that edge in his eye.

“Arwen, the ring bearer was struck with the Morgul Blade. I fear he won’t have much time unless we take him to your father Lord Elrond,” Strider said quickly.

“That is a dark magic,” Arwen agreed. “I have brought my horse.”

The three travelled back with the weed and Hina watched from afar, unsure how to confront the group she felt she didn’t belong in. So she stayed by the side as Arwen explained how the blade corrupted its victim. Hina felt doubly bad for not being able to protect the Hobbits now.

Arwen picked up the Hobbit and put him on her horse before she turned to Strider. “I have been looking for you for two days.”

“Where are you taking him?” Pippin asked.

“There are five Wraiths behind you, where the other four are, I do not know,” she said in urgency before she turned to Strider and he held her hands.

“Dartho guin Berian...rych le ad tolthathon. (Stay with the hobbits. I’ll send horses for you),” Strider said.

Arwen didn’t look pleased with his suggestion and instead grabbed the reins of the horse. “Hon mabathon. Rochoh ellint im. (I'll take him. I'm the faster rider).”

“Andelu I ven. (The road is too dangerous),” he pleaded, shaking his head and inching forward with protectiveness.

“Frodo Fir. Ae anthradon I hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon. (If I can cross the river, the power of my people can protect him).”

“What are they saying?” Pippin whispered to Merry, who just shrugged.

Arwen reached her hand down from the horse to take Aragorn’s and she gave him a reassuring squeeze. There was a surety and courage in her posture.

“I do not fear them,” she said steadfastly.

Strider did not let go of his love’s hands for a moment but then conceded his trust to her. She was indeed the fastest rider he knew. He let go and watched with trepidation as she rode away on her horse, the screaming of the Ringwraiths still echoing behind them. Hina came to stand by Strider and placed a hand on his arm in reassurance. He turned down to her and gave her a tentative nod.

“If you give me the order, I will follow after her and protect them both,” Hina offered.

“It is true then… you are faster than a horse?” Strider asked.

“There aren’t many people back home faster than me,” she replied confidently.

“If you promise to be safe on the journey and to only attack if necessary.”

“Don’t hold your breath for me Strider-san. I am a Shinobi, a born warrior. You could say it’s in my blood to battle and I won’t fall to some stupid undead,” Hina replied with a resolute nod.

Before he could warn her to be more cautious, he got a glimpse of the speed which she proclaimed to possess. In the blink of an eye she had jumped to the treetops and disappeared. Strider had rarely seen such a feat of acrobatics, even from the Elves. To jump that far was impossible for mere Men.

“Is she someone we can trust?” Sam asked, looking ahead pale and sweaty, his thoughts no doubt on the well being of his wounded friend.

“She is not a fell creature. Of that, you have my word,” he said.

“Then she is truly a child… surely she can’t do much. She must be at most 15 winters old,” Merry said in disbelief.

“I would not underestimate her strength. For now we have to put our trust in both ladies. We should hope Frodo is in good hands,” Strider settled to say.

It had been a while since she was required to run so fast since she was dropped in this world. As it turned out the horses of the Elves were quite a bit faster than normal horses, and so were the Nazgul’s steeds. Hina caught up with Arwen pretty quickly though as the forest was her landscape.

“What manner of creature are you little one?” she asked.

Hina dropped by the woman whose eyes were still on the road ahead in determination. Good some chit-chat wouldn’t distract her.

“I’m not from these lands. Where I come from my kind are called Shinobi. We utilise the chakra within us—an energy or magic as you would call it, to perform jutsu and other feats. That’s the summary basically, but I don’t think we have the time to talk. The Nazgul are upon us. I will delay them, but you should look forward and ignore me.”

“Although I do not know you, I sense great power and bravery in you. Be safe little one.”

Hina nodded and fell back. She could hear the unearthly screams of the Nazgul. It made her excited again for the thrill of battle. She pulled out her exploding tags this time. Now they were on sprawling fields and it was just them vs her, she could go all out on them. She had no idea how exactly to kill the undead, but even delaying them an hour would be enough to give Arwen the time to stay ahead for the rest of her journey.

The dark horses were within sight now. Hina threw down the explosive tags on her precious kunai into the ground in front of them in a neat row and then waited with the tiger hand seal ready and prepared. Then as they came closer and closer brandishing their weapons, she activated the tags. The explosions sent the horses falling backwards and their riders falling off with horrifying screeches. Hina smirked. Sometimes the sounds of terrified crying actually felt nice… sometimes.

“Is that all you got? Sauron must be pissing in his panties thinking about how shitty his minions are,” Hina taunted.

“We will cut out your tongue,” the creature hissed at her.

“Pfft, you’d have trouble cutting some sleeping Halflings considering how unbelievably weak your kind is,” she teased with a grin.

She had effectively made the Nazgul pissed off at her beyond words. Their screams sounded a little more offended than usual to her ears. It made her happy. Pre-fight banter was certainly the best if used properly. Some smart opponents wouldn’t react at all, but they were no fun. Now all she had to do was not die. If you died after insulting someone else’s strength, that just made you look like a fool, and while Hina wouldn’t deny being a fool, she also did equally value that being a private admission rather than public knowledge.

Tiger → Hare → Dragon                Wind Release: Wind Blade                         

This time she made a blade out of wind chakra and held it in her hand. She preferred not to use kinjutsu, it was something she didn’t like to do often. Most Shinobi didn’t fight with the blade and instead preferred kunai. But fighting hand to hand against wielders of the blade put one at a disadvantage.

It was time, she thought expectantly, to breathe.

Chapter Text

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.

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 4

Aredhal was relieved when the girl took the cloak made for the Fellowship without any complaint. In fact the child looked rather happy with it. She supposed she should count her blessings and leave it at that, but she had also taken the time to procure an Elven blade seeing as the child had none. If she had it her way, the girl would remain in Rivendell and not step a foot out into danger. Children weren’t meant for the dangers of such missions, but she knew this child was no normal one and so she could only prepare her.

“This is an Elven blade. We did not have the time to forge you one, but it is of a shorter nature. I assume it will serve you well,” Aredhal said handing over the blade.

Hina took it curiously. While she’d always refused a blade, it reminded her of the time she spent learning the tanto under ROOT’s merciless care, she also couldn’t refuse a foreign gift. She could definitely take this back and study it’s make. The scientist within her wouldn’t refuse free knowledge.

“Thank you Aredhal. I might have been a little bratty and I’m sorry you had to put up with that,” Hina apologised as she buckled her new weapon.

“No harm done. What will you name it?”

“Name it?” Hina asked in confusion before her eyes widened. “Did you give me a legendary blade?!”

Aredhal was slightly confused at the question. “No, little one. It is an exceptional blade but a normal one nonetheless.”

“Then why would I name it?” Hina asked.

“It is customary to name your weapons here. It is an Elven blade and therefore deserves that respect despite our cultural differences,” Aredhal explained patiently.

Hina took a moment to look at the blade. It was curved in a beautiful way and shone like a pure silver colour. It was certainly more ornate than the basic tantos she was used to.

“Pikapika,” Hina finally settled on saying.

“A curious name from your language, is it? It sounds brilliant. What is its meaning?” Aredhal asked.

“Oh it means shiny!”

The Elf nearly staggered back in shock. She turned to the child with an exasperated huff.

“You are naming an Elven blade ‘shiny’?” she asked mildly insulted and completely in disbelief.

“It’s good luck to name something with the word that first comes to mind. Or so my sensei told me,” Hina hummed in thought, although that might also be because Gaku was lazy sometimes. “Arigato Aredhal-san, you are definitely my favourite Elf ever!”

“You don’t know many other Elves,” she pointed out blandly.

“I know two more, so you beat them,” Hina chuckled.

“Aye I did little one. Now keep safe out there, and for Valar’s sake do not fight a Ringwraith alone,” she said worriedly as she pinned the green cloak around the girl’s neck.

“I’ll try not to. Take care,” Hina said respectfully as she bowed low before taking her leave. 

She supposed the adults in this world were needless worry warts. She had come to realise that children more often than not were smarter than adults gave them credit for. They simply didn’t know a lot of things until it was explained to them, but it wasn’t like they lacked the mental functions to comprehend things. Then again, she only knew Shinobi children. She supposed the civilian sort might be how others would consider normal children. With those musings she walked up to the Fellowship of the Ring, as they had been called. She thought it was extremely corny, but Elrond kind of looked like the corny dad who thought he was cool, and all the kids just let him believe that. Sure he was too beautiful to be a corny dad, but she figured to the Elves at least that was what he was... or maybe she was simply being irreverent again.

Hina made her way to the gates, getting a few respectful or dubious greetings from the people passing by. She bowed her head slightly in greeting but decided to run along quickly to the gates. It was there that she saw the Dwarf she had drank with.

“Ah Hina daughter of Suzuki! It will be my pleasure travelling with you!” Gimli greeted her.

“Gimli son of Gloin, it’s my pleasure,” Hina grinned back as she performed the secret handshake, she had made with him while drunk. 

Then she turned to see that the group were already there, and she was in fact the last one to arrive. She noted the pretty-boy Elf had turned to her, and she tried not to swoon. It had been a while since she’d seen a man prettier than even Minato. 

“I believe we have not yet been acquainted,” Legolas said, catching her attention. “I must say it is astonishing that you have taken down a Ringwraith.”

Hina shook the Elf’s hands and grinned a little too proudly. “All evil shall kneel before my awesomeness!” she laughed in mock-haughtiness before she coughed and corrected herself. “My name’s Suzuki Hina, but you can just call me Hina. You must be Legolas-san!”

“I must say, I was dubious at the idea of inviting a child, let alone a girl, along on this perilous quest. But Gandalf vouches for your skills. Is it true you are of the Istari?” Boromir asked.

Hina rolled her eyes a little, although she supposed Boromir did have a point. Women here it seemed did not do battle for whatever reason, and Hina was in fact a child in their eyes. It went against all convention, and when something went against convention there was always a reason for it, good or bad—and it seemed Boromir was coming more from a place of genuine concern rather than simple misogyny. 

“I’m called a Shinobi where I come from. Over here it’s like a warrior-wizard. I assure you Boromir-san that I’m more than capable of handling myself in a fight and am definitely physically stronger than you are by nature. I’m probably not as awesome as Gandalf when he wants to be though,” Hina said, jabbing a little at the amused wizard.

Well she knew this old man would defeat a giant lava monster or something, and she doubted she had the ability to do that. She could kill humans easily enough, but larger creatures weren’t something she was used to fighting. 

“Aye, then we will welcome your company. Although I would have you stay away from most of the troubles with our Hobbit friends,” Boromir suggested.

“I will make sure of it,” Aragorn replied sternly.

Hina rolled her eyes at their unnecessary concern. She’d lead her team through a suicide mission at age-eleven and made it out alright. She didn’t need the concern of anyone when it came to her safety. But it seemed it was hard to convince the men of this world of that. Something about the culture here not allowing girls to fight or something. She didn’t refute them though. She’d just prove herself when the time came.

“We must hold to his course west of the misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns east, to Mordor,” Gandalf explained.

Hina excitedly shot forward. It’d been a long time since she’d travelled with such an interesting group. It was always so boring with Kabuto and Orochimaru’s unending silence. She realised she had walked a little too fast in her eagerness and waited for the group to catch up. They began talking about plans and such that Hina didn’t really know how to contribute to. She didn’t know what the customs for travel were in this world. But her eagerness was shown by how she seemed to constantly pace around the group with almost unending energy, jumping at the balls of her feet with an itch to move faster.

“At ease Hina. At this rate you’ll tire yourself out,” Aragorn said in exasperation as he watched the girl basically do laps around the party.

“I’ve run for three days straight without stopping once,” she said huffing. “Why is everyone in this world so slow?”

“This may not be the quickest pace I can assure you, but it is one that will not tire out everyone,” Aragorn explained.

“Sure, sure. Feels like I’m escorting a bunch of civilians,” she grumbled before trying her best to not run ahead.

To her surprise the Hobbits all decided to make a pit-stop. She watched curiously as everyone stopped to look on in confusion. She was glad for once that everyone else was just as confused as she was.

“Why are we stopping here?” Boromir asked.

“Why, we haven’t had a second breakfast!” Pippin said in wonder.

“We can’t stop for a second breakfast Pippin. We’re on a quest!” Frodo said in disbelief.

“I will throw apples at you again,” Aragorn threatened.

That got the Hobbits packing up and ready to travel again. Hina wondered when Aragorn had thrown apples at the Hobbits and why she had missed such a hilarious sight.

“So second breakfast huh? That’s an interesting concept!” Hina said.

“Oh you poor lass. She hasn’t heard of second breakfast,” Pippin cried.

At least talking to the Hobbits was a time pass, because it seemed they had an infinite number of unimportant things to teach her, and Hina appreciated the distraction. And then night came and Hina wondered how she’d survive such a long and tediously slow pace. It reminded her of travelling with Rengoku’s caravan, but at least then she had a number of books at her disposal and things to learn on the way that pertained to her mission. Here there was nothing but walking.

“I fear my curiosity has gotten the better of me Hina,” Legolas said, catching her attention as he walked besides her. “Those markings on your eyes—is that the norm where you hail from?”

Hina touched her tattoo and frowned. Ah yes, another regret to be bought up, and a mark she was reluctant to get rid of even if she could.

“No it’s a chakra tattoo. It’s passed down to the children of the Mizuchi Clan and I’m the last child to receive it.”

“Your Clan is gone?” Legolas asked sadly.

She shook her head and chuckled. “No actually. My master gave it to me because he can’t have any children of his own. It wasn’t a formal adoption, but it might as well have been.”

“He must love you a great deal then,” Legolas said smiling.

Hina smiled and nodded, although her heart wasn’t in the action. She wished he did in some way love her, but she doubted Legolas would want him to love her if he knew what kind of man he was. A part of Hina wanted to believe Orochimaru could change, but he’d already committed too many evil deeds to ever be freed from it now. And he had taken her down with him too. So she couldn’t leave him until they both answered for their crimes. She would see to it.

“Regale me of some tales of your homeland. It would please me to hear of such treasured history,” Legolas asked.

The group seemed to turn to her now expectantly and Hina smiled. Yes, her world was full of war and strife, but it was also a land of beauty and diversity. She had a lot of epic war stories she thought would be impressive in nature, but the story of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi came to mind. She gathered her thoughts as the Hobbits came around the camp and everyone came to sit by with food in hand.

“Well then let’s start with a classic from my world,” Hina said excitedly. “It’s called the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. It was written by my master’s former teammate, and a Legendary Shinobi of Konoha known simply as Jiraiya. There was once a boy named Naruto, an orphan in times of war and strife, born into the greatest Shinobi Hidden Village of all; Konohagakure the Village Hidden in the Leaves.”

Hina paused for a moment and wondered if she should tell the story Jiraiya wrote or the one she had read a lifetime ago. She decided to regale the story she had read personally. Jiraiya’s book was hopeful, yes, but while the hero had determined to keep going towards world peace, he had never truly found the answer.

“This boy Naruto, unbeknownst to him, was the son of the previous leader of the Village, the Hokage, who had died when a large fox beast, tall as a mountain, had attacked and destroyed an entire chunk of the Village. He grew up alone and hated by everyone around him for the Hokage gave his life to seal the monster into his belly.”

“But why would he do that to his own son?” Sam asked in disgust.

“Because to be a Jinchuriki—a human sacrifice—was to be a protector of the people. The Hokage had hoped that his and his son’s sacrifice would be viewed as an honour, but his heritage was hidden, and he grew up not knowing this cause of hatred.”

Hina had noticed the uneasy looks on the men’s faces. She supposed it was too grim a tale to tell during such a perilous time, but the ending was definitely worth it. 

“During this time Naruto had met another boy, just as lonely as him. His name was Uchiha Sasuke, the last remaining member of his Clan. You see Sasuke was a gifted boy, blessed with beauty and skill, but there was a darkness in his heart, an anger at his brother who had on his 6^th birthday, slain his entire Clan and tortured the boy in an illusion for days.”

“This better have a happy ending,” Gimli grumbled.

“Well we’ll see, won’t we?” Hina smiled at the Dwarf in irritation at his interruption. “Naruto who had been scorned, was not trained properly by his teachers and was therefore the dunce of his class, while Sasuke excelled in everything. Naruto began to see Sasuke as his rival, even for the affections of Sakura, the girl who he liked that liked Sasuke instead.”

She heard Pippin oohh about a love triangle and she laughed a little at that.

“After having failed his graduation, Naruto was contacted by his teacher, telling him to steal a forbidden scroll of knowledge. He agreed and to his credit defeated the Hokage with a… overpowered jutsu he made and spent the night learning from the scroll. His one true supporter and teacher Iruka, had learnt of what Naruto had done and went to meet the boy to save him from the traitor in their midst, but it was too late, and the traitor had told the boy the reason he was hated was because he was a demon. However his teacher Iruka saved him and showed the boy his first glimmer of love, protecting him with his body and proclaiming him a precious person. That marked the day Naruto understood the importance of comradery—the will of fire—a concept passed down from my peoples that we are but one single leaf in a tree, and our strength is in our comrades.”

Hina went onto describe his adventures, from fighting a fellow Jinchuriki and saving him from his hatred, to talking down a mad god who had blown apart his entire village, to then uniting the warring Villages together to fight a battle against a man who would plunge the world into a false peace, and finally the tale of how even till the end he didn’t give up on his brother. Hina paused at that and felt uneasy. Would she give up on Orochimaru?

“Aye that was a sad tale, but the ending was brilliant,” Gimli said happily.

“And this happened in your land?” Legolas asked.

“It hasn’t happened yet, but I believe it will one day,” Hina said softly. “For now war wages and people die, but as long as there is someone willing to fight for a better future, then there is hope.”

“Well put little one!” Boromir said, holding out his cup in agreement.

“Aye, aye,” the others chorused in agreement.

It felt good to tell that story. Hina knew it wouldn’t happen like that again. In fact Minato and Fugaku were alive now and both Naruto and Sasuke would never have to grow up with the pain that made them who they were. Maybe they’d never be pushed to be the great men they could have been, but sometimes greatness wasn’t all that great… Sometimes it was better to be average and with a happy family than to be the strongest Shinobi around and wander alone.

“Well then I’ve told you the most epic story from my lands. I want to hear about yours,” Hina said looking expectantly at the group.

“It’s only fair that since I asked, I should reciprocate,” Legolas added in eagerly. “It is the story of the creation of this world, passed down from Elf to Elf.”

Hina leant into that. If the Elves here were in fact immortal, it wouldn’t be such a stretch that they would legitimately remember their own creation. That meant that if they actually had a god it was possible to meet one… even if attempting it might go nowhere. Still she was already interested. Maybe a being of higher power could end her reincarnation cycle and rid her of that curse.

In the beginning, there was Eru Iluvatar, the one above all; a shining being of pure light. Tired from his endless war against the darkness, he came here to create and to do so he first imagined the Ainur, angelic beings formed of his own thoughts to act as his instruments and co-creators of Arda. The first among them was Melkor. 

Eru Iluvatar led the Ainur in choir and chant, of which quenya the elvish language is but a shadow. As the song continued however, Melkor balked, trying to take lead in the choir, disturbing the harmony of voices with discordant notes in sets of three. Despite his efforts however, Eru was not shaken. Ever as Melkor disturbed the song, leading his fellows astray, Eru would change verse, guiding the Ainur to turn the harsh notes into a harmony and bring it back to his own design.

When the song was over, Eru revealed to the Ainur the results of their efforts, Eä Arda Avakuma, “Existence of the globe within the void”. He then invited the Ainur to join him in the world and experience the events and wonders that they had sung. The greatest of them took the name Valar while the lesser host took the name Maiar and in accordance with their positions in the choir took part in shaping the face of Arda. But while they could shape life, they could not create it, as they did not understand Flame Imperishable. 

No more clear was this than in Aulë, shaper of the Dwarves, Yavanna, shaper of the Ents and Manwe, shaper of the Eagles. Impatient to witness the birth of the mortal races, they created their own, but while they lived and breathed, they held no will and could not act or create independent of their parents' will. Aulë tried to hide his creations in his shame,  but Eru knew all and when three knelt before him, crying and begged forgiveness, Eru granted their creations souls. 

It was this limitation, in the spring of Arda that began Melkor’s fall. Jealous and covetous of the Secret Fire, he demanded to possess it and was denied. Thus began the war of the first age, long before even elven kind stepped foot on its surface. For If Melkor, first born of the light could not possess it, then in darkness forever should creation reign.

In the spring of Arda where Middle Earth was a single landmass, Eru led the Ainur in the creation of the lamps; Ormal and Iluin, which stood in those early days for the sun and moon. With the lamps in place, Eru led the Valar and Maiar in constructing a great city. As they did so, animals and trees began to appear from each construction and spread across the world. Melkor saw this and demanded to know the secret, but when he proved unable to comprehend the flame of the father, he went to sulk in the dark corners of the world. While he was away, in the shadows, he gazed into the void and grew bitter. As he failed to create a flame imperishable or new life on his own, he raised an army of predators twisted by the darkness beyond the lamps and set off to destroy them.  The battle was great and he succeeded in darkening Arda, but the destruction of Ormal and Iluin sundered the world, creating the continents of Aman to the west, Middle Earth to the north, The Shadowed shelf to the south and Pelori to the east. 

Many of the shards of the lamps were cast into the sky by the destruction and inundation, creating the stars. The rest the Valar gathered up and carried them west across the sea to Aman, where Yavanna used their light to plant two trees; Telperion (the silver tree) and Laurelin (the golden tree). Here, out of sight of Melkor, they build a new city in what would become the undying lands. Under the light of the stars, Aule Yavanna and Manwe built their mortal races, and under the light of the new trees Eru Iluvatar laid them to rest. As the trees achieved their full height and radiance, they, and the elves, crafted by Iluvatar himself, awoke. 

The first elf awoke at the touch of Eru himself, caressing the face of Imin on the shores of Lake Cuiviénen. He then awakened Tata, and together they awakened Entel. When the three brothers were up, Eru left to awaken the next batch of elves, leaving the three brothers to awaken those who would become their wives, Iminye, Tatie and Enelye. Once awakened with a kiss, the six of them followed after their creator.

The first group they encountered were six pairs dancing around great trees. Imin claimed them as his own and after learning to dance, he led them onward, following the path of Iluvitar. Next they encountered nine pairs of elves creating works of art on the shore. Tata claimed them as his own, and after staying a while to learn of art they once again set out after Iluvitar. As the light of the trees began to fade into the distance, they came across a curving shallow river where a group of 12 pairs speaking in the first tongue and creating poetry on smooth stones. They stayed longer learning and chanting, before following once more in the path of the father. 

They continued on into the darkness and came across a group of 18 pairs, staring up at the night sky. They were dark of hair and pale in complexion, and told the others they knew of their coming for it was written in the heavens. They called themselves the Noldor and shared their secrets sparingly. Even so, as the group continued onward, following Iluvatar, the Noldor journeyed with them. 

Next they found a group of 24 elves, singing light and life into a dark world without words. The elves which had sought Iluvatar named them the Lindar. But as they journeyed on the trail had grown cold. They could not find their father. And so the 144 elves lived together and built themselves a city on the shore of Cuiviénen, and in the growing light of the two trees. 

As the Dwarves, Elves, Eagles and Ents spread across the world with the light of the trees at their back, Melkor became aware of them. He sent shades into their midst to sew lies and turn them against the Valar, saying that any who strayed too far from the light would be hunted down by Maiar servants and slain. The dwarves ignored his words, as they listened only to their own council, but some elves took heed and vanished forevermore into the night. It is these elves who became the first orcs. 

When Melkor thought himself strong enough, he returned to the Valar, claiming penance, having seen the error of his ways and insinuated himself and his darkling minions into Valinor. When he was ready to strike, Melkor invited Ungoliot, the void shadow which hunted Eru before the dawn of Arda to kill the trees. As the trees and Ungoliot lay dying and the combined forces of Valinor drove Melkor and his dark army from Aman, Finwe, high king of the elves took the last light of the trees and forged three gems, the Silmaril to contain their light. He then used these gems to curse Melkor with the name Morgoth, dooming him to become a beast of the shadow which in his envy he forever sought to cast over Arda. Finally, Finwe took the last fruit of Laurelin and the last flower of Telperion and cast them into the sky to become the sun and moon; forever to light Arda, and forever lay out of reach of Morgoth. 

So insulted was Morgoth by his ultimate failure at the hands of mere mortals, Morgoth vowed not to rest until all life was struck from Arda. And though doing so wounded and weakened him greatly, he stole the Silmarils and affixed them to his Iron crown, thus beginning the War of Wrath which would last until the end of the first age when Morgoth was banished into the void, never again to darken the face of Arda.”

Hina had never heard such a fantastical tale, and she knew how ridiculous it sounded when she knew chakra came from a world eating asparagus. Still, Legolas’s voice was unfairly smooth, and his face was way too pretty to compare to mere mortals, and it eased Hina into tiredness. She would be frightened to think that once again this light energy was like a drug that made her drowsy, but she was too far gone to care and before long she had passed out on Aragorn’s lap.

“Is it truly wise to take a girl with us?” Boromir asked.

Looking at the girl asleep after a story like any other child would become, Boromir wondered if this was the safest place for a girl, let alone a child to be. Aragorn had much the same thoughts, but her appearance had hidden a strength powerful enough to slay a Ring Wraith. Of that he wasn’t mistaken. Hina was powerful, more physically powerful than him or Legolas even. He imagined she would give even Glorfindel a fight to remember.

“The stories of her defeating a Ringwraith is not exaggerated, and I’d rather have her where I can see her. I have a feeling that she would otherwise get into trouble I can’t get her out of,” Aragorn sighed.

“We will not question it any longer,” Gimli butted in. “She has proven herself already, hasn’t she?”

“Indeed, there is much strength in her. She would only be a boon to our quest,” Gandalf agreed. “But an eye you should keep on her, for her fortitude in strength is beyond comparison, but her mind is festered with wounds.”

With that ominous word Gandalf decided to go to sleep. Aragorn decided to take it to heart. For better or for worse; she was now his charge while in Middle-Earth.

Hina thought Legolas was like her kryptonite. He reminded her of Minato except prettier. How the heck was she meant to concentrate on anything else but his unfairly beautiful face? It wasn’t her fault she was attracted to pretty boys. This added to his unfair effect on her during his story-time had made her steer clear of him. He and all the other Elves made her feel drowsy and safe, and that was in fact the opposite of safety. It was a false security, one that would get her killed out in the wild.

Days had passed and the pace was much the same. She had refrained from doing circles around the group like Aragorn had told her not to, but it was too much.

“Arrggh,” she screamed into her hands, startling the group.

“What’s the matter, lass?!” Gimli asked, jumping to her defence.

“Are you hurt?” Sam asked in shock.

“No! I want to train. We’re going so slow and I’m going to atrophy at this rate,” Hina whined.

“Are all children this excitable?” Boromir asked in distaste, before he hummed in thought. “Well it wouldn’t be such a bad idea. I doubt the little ones know how to use their blades. It would be time to teach them.”

“Then we shall rest for a few hours there,” Aragorn nodded, as he pointed towards a hill full of rocks.

It would provide cover if need be, and he supposed they could rest for a bit. Plus he’d never seen Hina so eager to do something before. The girl was practically vibrating on the spot and jumping in excitement to finally do some physical activity. The Hobbits looked eager to test out their blades too. Soon Boromir was giving the three lessons on how to hold a blade properly.

“That is an odd stance,” Boromir noted.

“I’m not used to this blade. I used another model known as a ‘tanto’ where I come from,” Hina admitted. “But even then, I prefer not to use blades. A real man punches his opponents to death!”

“But you’re not a man,” Merry pointed out bewildered.

“Well then a real woman punches her opponents to death,” she corrected.

“Well a weapon you don’t know to wield is an encumbered weight of no use,” Boromir huffed. “So ready in the stance I show you.”

“Boromir is a warrior of Gondor. He knows his way around a sword. You should pay attention to his lessons Hina,” Aragorn scolded.  

“Ok fine,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes in irritation at the way Aragorn talked to her, before standing the way Boromir asked her to.

Boromir shook his head in amusement. It seemed the girl only listened to Aragorn. And so they began their lessons eagerly. It didn’t take long for Boromir to suggest actual swordplay, if not a little slow to ease them into it. 

“Get away from the blade, Pippin. On your toes...good, very good. I want you to react, not think,” Boromir instructed the Hobbit.

“Quite good, Pippin,” Merry chuckled.

“Thanks,” Pippin replied proudly.

“I want a turn next,” Hina pointed out, itching for a spar after so long.

Boromir thrusted his sword down a little too fast and caught Pippin’s hand. The Hobbit threw his sword down with a yelp.

“Sorry!” Boromir apologised before Pipping kicked him down and lunged at him. Hina laughed evilly as she and Merry joined in on ganging up on the man, eager to overwhelm him. They laughed in victory as they managed to tackle the man to the ground.

“For the shire!” Pippin shouted.

“For our honour!” Hina added in.

“Ok, ok, I give in,” Boromir laughed.

“What is that?!”

Hina let go of the reverse grapple she had Boromir in when she felt the corrupted energy in the distance. Boromir stood up, helping her and the Hobbits up as he did. His face turned grim as he looked at the dark gathering in the distance.

“It’s moving fast. Against the wind,” he noted.

“Crebain from Dunland!” Legolas exclaimed.

“Hide!” Aragorn shouted urgently.

“Merry, Pippin, Hina, take cover,” Boromir urged.

Hina let the man lead her and the Hobbits under the cover of the stone alcoves. For a moment, her breath hitched, and her skin itched, ready and eager to go out there and fight. She shook away the urging thoughts that were trying to overwhelm her. Yes, she enjoyed a good fight, in fact she could be considered an adrenaline junky when it came to fighting, but she’d never break cover for her teammates just to chase a high. The fact that if Boromir were not holding her, she would have very likely run out to fight those birds, made her pause and reflect. It was like the Elves but with the opposite effect. The darkness made her giddy for action, whereas the light made her drowsy and docile. She supposed now that the rings presence on Frodo’s neck had been the reason, she had acted out like a child demanding exercise, when she normally would have easily had enough self-control to hold herself back. This world was truly pulling the impatience out of her in full. It was worrying.

Once the crows had passed, Boromir helped both her and the Hobbits out from under the stone ledge and everyone turned to face the sky with grim looks. 

“Spies of Saruman. The passage South is being watched,” Gandalf noted.

“Saruman has summons?” Hina whispered in worry.

The old Wizard gave her a grim nod. “And many more powerful ways of noticing us. We must take the pass of Caradhras!”

Gandalf turned to the snowy mountains behind them and Hina groaned as she looked at her exposed toes… well that would be fun.

Hina was glad for the elven cloak because it had no right to keep her this comfortable and warm, and also for the trousers Aragorn had bought her weeks prior, or she’d be feeling the freeze up her kimono.

“How are you walking on the snow?” Pippin demanded.

“Well if you can walk on water then walking on snow shouldn’t be so hard should it,” she said.

She giggled as she watched the Hobbit’s jaws drop at that information, and then she noticed Legolas was doing much the same and her eyes widened.

“How are you walking on snow like that?” she asked.

“Elves are light on their feet,” he answered.

“Of course they are,” she huffed.

“Is that jealousy I hear?” Legolas joked.

“It is when your race literally gets all the good stuff,” Hina kidded. “If my sensei knew you lot were born with immortality, he’d probably choke to death on jealousy.”

“He seeks immortality?” Legolas asked, pausing suddenly with concern.

“Well yeah, what scientist who wants to accomplish many things wouldn’t? He’s got a brilliant mind and wants to learn a lot so he needs the time to do it,” Hina explained, confused as to why immortality in itself would be a thing to pause and fear.

“Then he is a foolish man I fear, for Men have the gift of the great beyond, whereas us Elves can only take refuge in the glory of the Valar,” Legolas explained.

Before Hina could question him on the ‘great beyond’ she heard Frodo yelp and fall. Sam quickly called out to him, ever so protective, but Aragorn had caught the Hobbit before anything could happen. Hina would have turned back to continue walking if she hadn’t seen Boromir kneel down to pick the ring.

She could feel its call deepen in the air and she suddenly had the urge to grab it. It could give her power—power enough to even make Orochimaru kneel before her. She would be the master. She would show him what true power was—no! She shook her head and calmed her breathing.

“Boromir?” Aragorn asked, a hint of weariness in his voice.

Boromir held the ring up, entranced by it, and Hina could only sympathise in his pause to hand it over like he should. It was… dangerous, and she felt almost remiss to let it stay in Frodo’s hands. She was much stronger than anyone here and… no… that was stupid. She stopped her thoughts from wandering down that route, rationalising to herself that she was already being affected irrationally by this world’s energies. That ring was smothering her subtly in the brashness that came with this world's dark magic. 

“It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing...such a little thing.”

“Boromir...give the ring to Frodo.”

Boromir paused for too long for it to be natural, but hesitantly he gave the ring back to Frodo, and Hina could almost feel the palatable relief within the group at the action. 

“As you wish. I care not,” Boromir said in forced levity as he ruffled Frodo’s hair and made away.

Everyone knew that was a lie, but no one said a word. Hina could only be impressed that he’d given back the ring at all. She wasn’t sure she would if she had it in her hand. With that she firmly resolved to stay far away from Frodo as much as possible during the trip. If only Aragorn wasn’t stuck to his side, she lamented.

The winds were getting harsher and Hina wouldn’t be surprised if her toes had gone blue and fallen right off by now. She contemplated using fire and wind release to keep her warm but decided against it. She was already expending chakra to keep her toes out of the cold. She wouldn’t allow herself to waste more. Plus, it seemed Legolas was actually a welcome company for once. She stayed by him to counter the growing darkness of the ring.

“There is a fell voice in the air,” Legolas warned.

“It's Saruman,” Gandalf said grimly.

There was a loud thunder and Hina noted the rocks and shale falling from above. She along with the group wedged themselves closer to the stone walls. 

“He's trying to bring down the mountain. Gandalf! We must turn back!” Aragorn urged.

“No!” Gandalf replied defiantly as he raised his staff and began chanting at the wind.

Hina noted the way the energy rippled around him, and it was such a massive volume she was suddenly beginning to realise how impressive the Istari were.

“Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho I ruith. Sleep Caradhras. (Be still, lie still, hold your wrath),” he chanted louder and louder.

Despite Gandalf’s efforts Hina could hear the White Wizards voice strengthening in the distance. A loud crack of lightning dropped onto the mountainside above them and even she could do nothing to stop the heavy fall of snow on their heads. Legolas grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the snow beneath. She looked at him in exasperation.

“How is your hair still so perfect?” she said in indignation.

“Are you really asking that now?” he replied in deadpan.

“We must get off the mountain! Make for the gap of Rohan and take the West road to my city,” Boromir offered.

“No, the Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard,” Aragorn countered.

“We cannot pass over the mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria!” Gimli insisted

Gandalf has a concerned look on his face, but it dawned on Hina that she remembered him dying in there. But he would come back right… that much at least she remembered.

“Frodo?” Gandalf says, catching the little Hobbit’s eyes.

It dawned on Hina that this is in fact Frodo’s quest, that the mission objective is his to direct. It seems odd that it would be in the hand of someone so small and inexperienced.

“We will go through the mines,” he concluded.

“So be it,” Gandalf said ominously. 

So the fellowship ended going from the frozen winds of the icy mountains, to the cold frost of the road to the mines. Hina actually preferred this though. Less of a need to use her chakra.

“You’ll be greeted to a sight unheard of lass. Us Dwarves are master builders,” Gimli said excitedly.

“Considering you’ve built an entire city inside of a mountain, I’m honestly excited,” Hina said truthfully.

Well she would have been more excited if she hadn’t caught wind of the smell of another creature following her team. It seemed like a weak presence, and its scent was all sorts of wrong, but she figured maybe it was an animal that was stalking them out of desperation for food. Eventually though she decided she wanted to check it out.

“I need to go piss,” she said suddenly.

Aragorn shook his head in exasperation. “Do you need to quite so loudly tell everyone?”

“What, it’s just a bodily function?” Hina said in confusion.

All the men gave her looks and Hina rolled her eyes. Then she remembered this wasn’t her actual team and they didn’t know she quite often exclaimed her need to go to the toilet as a way to alert them that she was going off to investigate something. They weren’t Anko and Rui, she reminded herself, but at least it seemed Gandalf noted something was off.

Once she was a good distance away from the group, she ran up the cliff wall and dropped behind the creature, startling it. It jumped up in shock, and Hina felt almost bad for startling something so skinny. 

“Damn, I’m really sorry! If I’d known you were starving, I wouldn’t have scared you,” she apologised.

“This one doesn’t knowses what you’re talking abouts! Don’ts kill uss,” Gollum cried out in terror.

“Kill you? I wouldn’t kill you… unless you were here for something more than food,” she said narrowing her eyes dangerously.

“No! We’s was here for the foodses!”

Hina knew a blatant lie when she heard one, but something about this wide eyed, mangy little creature reminded her of pain. He seemed to live only in torment and judging from the engraved whip markings on his back, Hina assumed he had a broken mind due to torture. Plus in an ugly sort of way he was small and adorable, and she had a propensity to protect small and adorable things.

“That’s right, you need to eat some food. I can see the outline of your bones. That can’t be healthy,” she said worriedly as she took out her beef jerky and handed it over to the creature. “Well what race are you from exactly? Never seen a person like you before?”

“Gollum is Gollum!”

“Indeed, and Hina is also Hina, but Hina is also a human. Want to try again?” she asked in amusement.

“No Gollum iss Gollums,” he repeated in frustration.

“Ok, ok Gollum. No need to get your little loin cloth in a twist. Aren’t you cold in just a loin cloth? Here let me get you one of my kimonos.”

Gollum ignored the odd child’s pestering questions and tried the stale meat. It wasn’t slithering or alive, but he quite enjoyed it in fact and began slurping the others down. When he next turned, he was being smothered by a warm cloak.

“Noooos this is wrong! Twisted,” he cried.

“It’s meant to be warming,” Hina said in worry. 

“Twisted by the Elves!”

“Ok, ok, no need to be so picky or racist. How about my original cloth?”

Hina unsealed one of the few Konoha kimono’s she’d had on her at all times. She had to chase Gollum around for a bit and forced her kimono on him.

“Why childses do this for uss?! To torment uss. We just want the precious!” Gollum lamented.

“I’ll give you more tasty meat, now come on Gollum. Don’t want you to catch a cold out here,” Hina said, picking up the angry creature who futilely kicked and clawed at her. 

She was too strong to not be able to easily carry someone as scrawny and small as Gollum despite being only slightly taller than him. She made her way back to the group pretty quickly. They were close to Moria now, she could feel it. The darkness was approaching.

“Hey guys I found a Gollum! Never heard of this race before,” she said holding out the kicking creature.

Aragorn pulled out his sword almost instantly and Gandalf had his staff out in front of Frodo. Hina took a step back in confusion. Had she maybe done something stupid? Gollum kind of sounded familiar. Maybe he was in the movie, but she’d forgotten by now. She had watched it in a previous life. She’d forgotten way too much.

“Hina put it down. That’s Gollum,” Aragorn shouted.

“I know, he introduced himself. He’s only pretending to not like me, but he’s adorable deep down,” Hina said in worry. “We don’t hurt adorable things, right?”

She’d hoped to appeal to them using her childish nature to maybe make them more sympathetic to Gollum as well… manipulative yes, but it was their fault they perceived her that way. The poor man was tortured and hurting. It felt wrong to throw him back out in the wild to starve, even if he was scratching her arms and growling at her. She’d seen enough broken people—people who’d she’d help break—maybe for once she could fix it. 

“Let it go little one,” Gandalf said sternly. “This is Gollum, a creature tormented by the one ring’s power over him. He will wish to steal it.”

Hina faltered. That meant that she had in her hands an enemy, but even holding him like this in his struggles made it evident just how bony he was. She could feel the ridges of his scars on his back, of the torture he faced, and she felt reluctant to leave him alone in his suffering. She could finally be kind and good in this group. She didn’t need to pretend to be vile and evil to gather information. She didn’t need to do horrible things for her cover… but she knew Gandalf was wise. While she was powerful, she wasn’t the best decision maker. Kami knows if she were, her parents would be alive… Kusari would be too. So she reluctantly let Gollum down with a frown. He hissed at her and cut her cheeks, but she didn’t flinch not even when Aragorn drew closer with his sword and the others shouted in alarm. Instead she hugged him until he quelled, and then pat the confused Gollum’s head while he looked up in confusion.

“You hurts us! We hateee you!” he cried out in confusion before running away.

Hina clenched her hands by her side before turning to the rock wall and with an angry cry punched the stone so hard a crack drew up the entire mountain. Then she breathed in deeply, hating how she’d just expended so much chakra on a temper tantrum of all things before she turned to see the shocked expressions of the Fellowship.

“I—he was in pain,” Hina pleaded for understanding.

Gandalf put a hand on her shoulder and looked down in empathy. “Gollum is a pitiable creature, but it seems you’ve made an impression on him. He kept your clothes after all… there may have been some good done yet.”

“He… wants the ring?” Hina asked.

“We had it right here. We should have killed it,” Frodo said with a frown.

“I have a feeling it is not yet Gollum’s time. Now come along, we have a journey to make in haste.”

This time it was Aragorn who came up next to her while the company all walked ahead giving her some space. Hina was frustrated. To finally be free of Orochimaru—to finally do the one thing she’d always wanted to do… and now she was stopped once again. She wrung her fingers together in building frustration. She’d let him go instead of doing what she thought was right… she’d listened to others instead of her heart again. 

“I understand your plight Hina. I had travelled with the creature for nearly a year, but it is too far gone in its torment. The ring has corrupted its mind and twisted its body. Something like that can never be the same again.”

Hina shivered as her hands instinctively went up to her cursed seal. She noted Aragorn’s dawning look of understanding and she jerked her hand away. He would no doubt feel guilty now, but without reason. He was right after all. No one was the same after being tortured and twisted. She wasn’t either. ROOT had twisted her drive for improvement into something vile, turned her protection into murder, and had drenched her hands in blood. What good left was there for someone like her?

“I did not mean it for you,” Aragorn whispered, squeezing her shoulders.

“It doesn’t matter… I know what I am.”

She brushed ahead of Aragorn in haste. Maybe all this journey was to her was a way to pretend like everything was good again… maybe it was to find some solace in her evil… but she knew it wouldn’t last. It could only ever end in tragedy for her.

They had travelled for another two days in silence. Hina quickly made an effort to seem ok to the group and eased them into comfortableness with her again. She left some jerky out for Gollum when she could, and she had no doubt that Gandalf knew what she was doing. Thankfully, the old Wizard didn’t stop her.

“The walls of Moria!” Gimli exclaimed in joy as they came along the narrow strip of green and greasy stone. 

Hina watched as Gandalf traced the smooth rock wall and walks along it’s lines. As if answering to his magic faint lines appeared like slender veins of luminous silver. It casted a beautiful glow in the otherwise dark landscape.

“Itidin...it mirrors only starlight and moonlight,” Gandalf explained.

“A real-life magic door,” Hina swooned in awe as the moonlight caught the lay lines of magic and a clear door like symbol etched itself into the walls.

Gandalf seemed happy at her awed expression and ruffled her hair before turning back to the door. Hina grumbled as she fixed up the mess the wizard made on her head, feeling once again the disturbance of the dark ring that called to her at the motion she had come to associate with pain.

“It reads, The door of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter’.”

“What do you suppose that means?” Merry asked.

“It's quite simple. If you are a friend, speak the password and the doors will open,” Gandalf explained as he raised his arms and began incanting, “Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen!”

Hina watched on in expectation and was severely disappointed when nothing happened. It was so anticlimactic Hina nearly spluttered. Her first cool magical experience and nothing happened. 

“Well do you know any other phrases?” Hina asked.

“I’ll try a few more,” Gandalf grumbled.

After watching and waiting expectantly for the fifth time, Hina was getting bored. “If you want, I can just carve a hole through the door. I have Earth Jutsu for that.”

“No! There’s traps in place for those who force Dwarven doors open,” Gimli warned.

With a huff Hina decided to sit by Boromir, who looked down no doubt in amusement at her impatience. Could you blame her? Her first magical door and nothing happened. She supposed this is why one shouldn’t meet their dreams.

“Do not fret little one. I’m sure there’s not a riddle at all that Gandalf could not solve,” he said patting her shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah, but it’s a magic door! I thought something would happen,” Hina muttered.

They fell into silence as Gandalf continued muttering words to the door. Hina watched as Sam and Aragorn let go of the horse and Merry and Pippin began throwing stones into the lake to stave off boredom. She mused for a second if she should join them and decided against it quickly. She would outmatch them way too easily, and not to mention something about this place was giving her he creeps. Her concerns were validated when Aragorn stopped Pippin from throwing another stone.

“It’s a riddle—like Boromir said,” Frodo said in realisation. “What’s the word for friend in Elvish?”

“Oh… mellon,” Gandalf replied.

Hina was caught between wanting to watch a magic door open and keeping her eye on whatever was causing the ripples in the water. She settled on letting herself be amazed that a door with no hinges is opening because of a word. She checked the back end for some kind of technology, maybe something that would register sound or the sort, but found nothing. No seals, no chakra, no energy— her mind was truly boggled.

“Amazing,” she whispered. “Just a word and it opens! It has no hinges!”

“Odd thing to be caught up on, but of course us Dwarves are master craftsmen!” Gimli says proudly before he puffed up at Legolas. “So, master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves, roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin...and they call this a mine, a mine!”

Hina would have normally been amused at Gimli’s issues with the Elves if it weren’t for the sickening amount of darkness suddenly surrounding her. She pulled out a kunai and snarled, feeling the itch of battle at her throat. Whatever little reasonable part of her left, decided to move closer to Legolas to calm herself down. Her fears were realised when they entered in to see the bones of countless Dwarves under them.

“This is no mine...it's a tomb!” Boromir gasped.

“Oh...no, no, no!” Gimli cried in distress.

Legolas left to kneel down by a corpse and Hina followed him as he picked up too crude an arrow to be one forged by Dwarves.

“Goblins!” he hissed.

Hina was ready and eager to turn away with the rest of the group as they backed away from the mines and towards the exit.

“We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here,” Boromir growled in fear.

Before the others could agree, Hina felt the presence of something dark and ominous reach out towards her. She grabbed the tentacle at her face but it was too slimy to get a hold of and to her ire she was pulled into its grasp. With a snarl she drew her Elven blade and clove the sinuous length of the appendage. The creature snarled as it dropped her into the water. Hina quickly steadied herself atop the water’s surface before sheathing her blade and going through her hand signs. The sight of Frodo in its grasps makes her stop and curse. She couldn’t use lightning release lest she wanted to kill him too. 

Thankfully, Aragorn cut the tentacle holding the Hobbit and caught him. An arrow whizzed past her and hit its eye and Hina went through her hand seals again in quick succession.

“Lightning Release: Lightning Fang!” she shouted as a maw like shape of lightning clamped onto the creature and bubbles the water.

Her attack gave the group a few precious seconds to rush back to a safe distance. Hina hastened herself as she moved back to dry land and pulled Merry along with her back towards the Mine. The creature hissed and lashed out as they escaped the range of its tentacles. Before she could use a long-ranged attack, the creature grabbed the door in its entirety and the entrance caved in on itself. Hina hated that Gandalf turned on his staff light right now, because she’d love a moment to cry about what kind of bullshit she'd gotten herself into without anyone seeing.

“We now have but one choice...we must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard...there are older and fouler things than the Orcs in the deep places of the world,” Gandalf warned.

The thick darkness in this place is as foul as the oppressive light of Rivendell’s Kingdom, except in a different way. Hina figured even standing by someone like Legolas would not save her from its effects now. Coupled with that enticing ring on Frodo’s neck, she’s surprised she hadn’t already lost control.

“You are breathing deeply. Are you alright?” Aragorn asked in worry.

Hina hissed and pushed his hands off her shoulders before her eyes widened and she realised her too violent action. Taking in a deep breath, she pushed back her hair and nodded. 

“This place is… like Rivendell, except it is putting me on edge,” she answered truthfully.

“Do not lose yourself to its call,” Aragorn warned worriedly.

“I will not,” Hina said in reassurance. “No measly Goblins will get the best of me. I’ll rip their innards out and feed it to their children!”

She realised the rather violent outburst was a little too vivid and gory and paused in embarrassment as the team all looked at her wide eyed.

“Legolas, hold my hands,” she demanded with an anxious snarl.

Thankfully, no one asked her for why exactly she wanted this, and Legolas to his credit held her hands without even a look her way. Normally she would be fawning over being able to hold the hands of an Elf, let alone one so pretty, but surrounded by this thick fog of darkness, she couldn’t even give the Elf a glance. He was but a dim light in this place, but his light was all she had to ward of the darkness.

They walked down silently and without a word into the darkness of the cave system. Hina was surprised by how big this whole place was, but the deeper they went the more she drew closer to Legolas to push away the foulness. Eventually Gandalf admitted to never having seen this place and everyone decided to rest for a bit. Hina found herself bunched between Aragorn and Legolas.

“It’s my Elven magic isn’t it? It’s keeping you grounded?” Legolas asked in concern.

“Hai… this place is making me want to go on a murder spree. I almost want to meet these Orcs you talk about,” Hina huffed.

“You could fight the pull of the light. Maybe you can fight the dark?” Aragorn noted.

Hina pointedly held up the hand Legolas was holding. “He’s doing it for me… hey can I try that pipe after you?”

“No you cannot,” Aragorn huffed, knowing she was trying to change the subject but still feeling obligated to keep her from doing harmful things. “Don’t pick up bad habits.”

“But you’re doing it,” Hina reasoned.

“I’m a grown man,” he pointed out as if that answered everything,

Hina huffed but conceded the point… she was physically thirteen. She would take it later in secret anyway. This world’s smoke smelt different from the charcoal sting of the Elemental Nations or the corrupting gas of the ones back on Earth. While everyone idled in silence, Hina could hear Gandalf have a good talk with Frodo about Gollum. Hina was happy to hear Gandalf stop Frodo’s line of anger. Gollum had been tortured—he didn’t deserve to be treated so terribly.

“Ah! That it's that way!” Gandalf points at the right-hand tunnel.

“He's remembered!” Merry breathed out in relief.

“No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down there. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose!”

Hina couldn’t agree more. Plus Gandalf was right. The place they entered didn’t in fact smell with dark foul energy. They walked down the dark corridors until they entered a large space just as dark.

“We can risk a little more light,” Gandalf said, tapping his staff and blowing at the top.

The staff lit the hallways and Hina was shocked at the sight before her. Nowhere in the Elemental Nations had she seen such a magnificent sight. In a way it dwarfed the Elvish architecture in its massive size and stature.

“Behold! The great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf!” Gandalf exclaimed.

“Well, there's an eye opener and no mistake!” Sam muttered in awe next to Hina who just patted his shoulder in agreement as she looked ahead wide eyed.

Hina ran her fingers over the stone that was almost as smooth as marble. She was fascinated by the build. If the Elemental Nations could create such a sturdy architecture, she was sure their defences would triple. It almost looked like it was done with advanced power tools and honestly that fascinated her more than the magic door now. She would be pestering Gimli for answers if she hadn’t seen the absolute devastation on his face. His family lived here, and they had died, and despite her curiosity, she was not so crass.

His cry seemed to only startle her from her thoughts on the stone make. She watched on as Gandalf called out for Gimli and the Dwarf ran into a room. Everyone followed quickly, worry taking hold as they came upon a tomb, enshrouded by the light of the sole window in the room. Skeletons lay to the wayside and Hina paused as Gimli knelt down to cry. Gandalf brushed the dust from the coffin to read the etched runes, but she already knew who it was.

“It says ‘Here lies Balin, son of Fudin, Lord of Moria.’ He is dead, then. It's as I had feared,” Gandalf sighed.

“We must move on, we cannot linger,” Legolas whispered by Hina to Aragorn.

"They have taken the Bridge and the second hall: we have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes, drums in the deep, we cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. Will no one save us? They are coming,” Gandalf read.

There was a loud sound that startled Hina and she turned to where Pippin was standing. He had accidentally knocked down a plate of armour into the well behind him. The sound was painfully loud and echoed throughout the empty halls. Hina’s hands went to her kunai holster, but there wasn’t a sound after. Everyone sighed in relief.

“Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!” Gandalf chided at the sheepish Hobbit.

“Mr Frodo!” Sam gasped.

The fellowship turned to see the blue-eyed Hobbits sword glow blue. Then as if to sound their ominous presence a deep rumbling filled the silence, and there was a drumbeat and a fell darkness that settled over Hina.

“They are coming,” she said, a hint of excitement in her voice.

“Orcs!” Legolas warned.

Hina grinned. The taste of blood on her tongue, and the beat of battle in her heart. She welcomed it with glee.

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 5

“Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!” Aragorn ordered the Hobbits.

Hina was more than a little annoyed that he’d put an arm in front of her direction too. She didn’t need protecting. She needed blood. The blood of those fell creatures!

While she was stewing both Aragorn and Boromir grabbed axes from around the room and bar the doors. Hina knew it wouldn't hold long. The number of disgusting creatures she can smell may as well be an entire army. She knows even Minato would have a hard time killing that many creatures, and she’d seen him take out a thousand men in under 10 minutes. The slam on the barricade is ominous and makes her drop down eagerly.

“They have a cave troll!” Boromir shouted.

A cave troll? She didn’t know what that was, but it sounded strong and the darkness around her was making her giddy with excitement. Yes, it was time to kill. 

“Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!” Gimli shouts angrily as he holds up an axe.

“Aye Gimli, we will make them wish for death!” Hina shouted alongside him. “There is nothing sweeter than the taste of vengeance!”

The door creaked against the monster’s axes, and Hina watched with growing excitement as both Aragorn and Legolas shot arrows in through the holes. But it didn't last long and soon the door cracked open and Hina darted forward in a gust of wind, her blood singing in joy. She took out three Goblins in the span of a second, her chakra giddy with misuse. A wide grin took her face as she jumped back into the fight after a moment’s pause. She could barely feel her curse seal activate, nor her world turn to blood through the euphoria of it all. 

Aragorn knew he should be more focused on the fight itself, or more importantly on protecting Frodo, but he saw almost instantly the most devastating speed he’d ever seen before from Hina. Normally that wouldn’t worry him. The girl was fast. That had already been established, but it wasn’t the speed or the brutality in which she killed the Goblins that worried him—no, it was the mad glee in her eyes and the strange teardrop like markings that had crawled up her face. The curse which she spoke of. He stabbed another goblin before running over to the girl in the middle of a rather brutal killing and he slapped her. She jerked back in confusion and snarled at him, lost in her madness, but he shook her shoulders in worry.

“Come back to us Hina!”

She shook her head as the markings receded and she snarled once more, holding her head in pain and nodding. Their moment was cut short when the ground trembled and the walls came blasting in as the Cave-Troll entered the fray. 

Hina had faced off against large summons before, but she didn’t figure anything would be as fast as one in this world. She felt a growing respect for these men without chakra who were fighting it. She didn’t hesitate to join Legolas as she threw some shuriken at its head. The creature just screeched in anger, undeterred as it hit away at Goblin and Fellowship members alike. Hina watched in relief as Sam, the ever-brave Hobbit he was, didn’t freeze and instead ducked and rolled under the Trolls legs. She didn’t have time to be impressed with a non-combatant, because soon the Troll was swinging it’s chains like a particularly deadly whip. It was now or never.

Total Concentration Breathing: Beast Form Dance of the Subtle Breeze!

Hina got down on all fours as she used her chakra slide to propel herself along with her wind release. This was the move she had taken half a decade to master, and spent nearly all of her time on, the prized move of her true sensei. She would not fail it again! 

She began bouncing off the walls in such increasing speed that she would be blind to the naked eye. With each movement she ended lives and compounded her speed as was the nature of this jutsu. Soon, she had taken out all the Goblins and was jumping off walls, ricocheting past the Troll in the middle. The creature cried out in pain as it was bombarded left and right almost like it was being attacked by a hundred men at once. Hina made sure to keep clawing at its skin and soon it screamed wildly, throwing its arms in the air suddenly and without predictability. Hina cursed as it’s arm hit her side, taking a chunk of her armour along with severing its entire arm off at the sheer impact her speed had given her. She crashed into a wall and slid down ungracefully as the Troll let out a cry of pain before dying.

“Hina!” Aragorn cried out as he rushed towards the girl.

The Fellowship had stood still in awe of the girl’s skill. To watch as all their enemies fell to the ground dead at once before they could even blink, and to see but a blur as a child took on a Troll alone was something of fantasy. But it came crashing with Hina’s failure to see the claw in her way, and Aragorn went rushing to the girl’s side to drag her away from the Troll’s claws. Legolas and Boromir shot forward once again to fight the Troll, who now bruised and bloodied fell to their combined efforts. 

“Come on,” Aragorn said quickly as he noted the large gash running up her stomach that had entirely decimated a part of armour. He ignored how she hissed, or how her slitted eyes were narrowed in an almost animalistic way. The darkness he could feel pulsing from her neck made him pause but he knew she wouldn’t hurt him. She had grabbed onto his neck and clung to his back, so he supposed she was still awake, and they didn’t have the time to stop.

“Is she ok?” Legolas asked.

“I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes,” Boromir said in awe as he looked at the carnage she had caused.

“Hmmm yes I’m just that awesome,” Hina mumbled in pain.

“Can you heal yourself?” Aragorn asked worriedly.

“Not at this moment… my cursed seal is preventing it,” Hina admitted reluctantly. “All my concentration is on keeping it at bay… I don’t have the energy to heal.”

“Well we do not have the time to stay and let Legolas ease your pains,” Boromir said as he pointed at the growing shadow of goblins from the corridor.

“To the bridge of Khazad-dum!” Gandalf shouts as he lights the path ahead and ushers the group onwards.

Hina was used to the pain. In fact it’s quite a welcome thing when she’s trying to quell the cursed seal. She had mastered it already, having known how to adjust its trigrams to suit her own chakra system and repress Orochimaru’s control over it. If she wanted, she could spend a few days breaking the seal apart forever, but she’d kept it to show Orochimaru her loyalties. Now she wished she hadn’t, because it was eating away at her chakra at such a rapid pace and she almost felt like killing Aragorn and running off to fight everything in sight.

What she saw next would probably haunt her nightmares for a while. Hina had seen armies in her time at the Elemental Nations, but nothing at the sheer scale of what she was witnessing now. She hadn’t heard such inhumane sounds in her battles before either. Goblins practically spewed from every crevasse of the large structures, blanketing it like some deformed nest of flooding baby spiders would, crawling along the walls on all fours. They seemed to come from all sides, and Hina wasn’t sure even she could help save everyone against such odds but she could try. 

She ripped her kimono sleeve and tightened it around her wound, stopping the bleeding for now. They were surrounded on all sides, and only Gandalf’s light seemed to do anything to ward off the Goblins from ripping them apart, but even that wasn’t something they could count on forever. Hina unsealed her Fūma Shuriken quickly, stepping out from the circular formation in the group and spinning around the giant Shuriken via the chakra cord she held firm in her hands. 

“Hina, you’re wounded!” Aragorn shouted in worry.

There wasn’t enough time in the world to be worried about that. She went through a one handed seal before summoning wind chakra to her Fūma Shuriken and jumping into the fray again. This time she went in with a roar as she took on the hordes of Goblins left and right, spinning her weapon like a bringer of death as limbs and body parts flew around in a spray of blackish red. Hina turned to the Fellowship in irritation.

“Come on! I can’t hold them back forever!”

They all shook themselves from their awe as they followed behind her, Gandalf working to keep the Goblins up the back away with his magic while the warriors all made sure to kill any stragglers and protect the Hobbits. They made good distance with Hina killing the hordes before them, but it wasn’t enough. She felt exhausted. It was so bad that a Goblin had managed to get into attacking range and slice her arm. She knew if this continued, that they would be overwhelmed. 

Then there was a deafening roar

Hina’s skin prickled with heat as she groaned in pain. The sheer darkness surrounding her was becoming hard to fight and now her cursed seal had almost taken over again. The Goblins themselves backed away from the almost blindingly dark presence incoming. 

She turned to look as a bright orange glow filled the halls and the Goblins all cried in distress as they ran away. Gimli laughed for a second, but Hina couldn’t find any amusement for once, just a growing dread as she remembered where this would lead—to Gandalf’s death. She had become too fond of the old man to let him go, even if she was half certain it wasn’t a permanent death.

“What is this new devilry?” Boromir asked.

“A Balrog… a demon of the ancient world! This foe is beyond any of you! Run! Quickly!” Gandalf urged.

Hina ran alongside Aragorn at the front of the group as they made haste. She could feel it’s dark power corrupting her mind, and with the sheer dark energy surrounding her, she almost wished for the drugged bliss of Rivendell.

“Keep at it Hina,” Legolas urged her.

“T-trying,” she mumbled back.

She nearly lost all control when Legolas nearly tripped over Boromir who was standing precariously over a ravine himself. Somehow the Elf managed to grab both her and the man and drop them back to safety.

“Lead them on, Aragorn. The bridge is near,” Gandalf ordered the uncertain man. “Do as I say! Swords are of no more use here.”

Aragorn nodded and led them down the stairway path. Half his thoughts were on Frodo, the other half on Hina as he led them away from a literal Demon. The worry only grew when he noticed a break in the stairs. Legolas tried to grab her so he could no doubt jump with her, but she stopped him. They didn’t have the time to waste here. She hastily stepped out in front of the group and went through her hand seals as quickly as she could, biting in pain at the corrupting energy on her neck. She slammed her hands into the stone extending her chakra out. A mud wall rumbled out, covering the gap before she fell to her knees in chakra exhaustion. 

“Hina!” 

It was Legolas that caught her, pulling her up into his arms to steady her. While they were worried about her well-being, they could not stay. Normally being jerked around like a sack of potatoes would have pissed her off beyond words, but Hina was rightfully grateful for being so small right now. She didn’t think she could have run as Legolas was doing right now. Even through the hot fires of this place did he not take a moment to stop. Eventually they did get to the bridge, and she got a darn good view of the Balrog. It almost looks like something from the Norse legends of Ragnarok, and the sheer evil presence it gives off makes her hiss in agony as her seal continues to corrupt her.

“You shall not pass!” Gandalf shouted as he hit his staff against the stone ground.

“Gandalf!” Frodo shouted in distress as he watched the Wizard face off against the beast on his own.

“I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun!” Gandalf shouted in defiance.

Hina watched as the Balrog put one foot on the bridge, drawing up to an inhumane height, demonic wings spread from wall to wall. In comparison Gandalf looked like a little baby.

“Go back to the shadow!” 

Hina nearly loses her breath when the flaming sword comes crashing down on her teammate. The relief is palatable as Gandalf’s light beats it back, and molten rocks hiss from the Balrog’s broken blade. 

“You shall not pass!!” 

It’s all they can do to watch against such an indomitable force. The Balrog once again steps onto the bridge and Gandalf shouts a strenuous cry of exertion as his light pushes against the dark. The bridge breaks under the monster’s weight and for a second everything is right, until a whip of fire catches the Wizard’s legs and pulls him down. Hina feels even Legolas shoot forward as Frodo cries out. Aragorn caught the Hobbit before he could do anything stupid, but even he feels the urge to rush to the Wizard’s aid.

“Fly, you fools!” Gandalf shouts before his last bit of strength is lost and he falls down. 

Hina let out a breath but it’s all she can manage as Legolas rushes them out of the death trap they had walked into. She barely even notices the Goblins shooting arrows their way as they escape. Her addled mind cried out only in relief as they escaped from that horridly dark place and back into the neutrality of the wild.

Legolas felt the energy drain from him with his grief, and as the Hobbits fell to their knees to cry, he struggled to keep standing. He almost dropped Hina in his grief but manages to hold on and stare ahead, still mildly stung with disbelief. 

“Boromir, get them up!” Aragorn ordered.

“Give them a moment for pity's sake!” the Steward’s son hissed, holding back his tears.

“By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up. On your feet, Sam,” Aragorn urged as he picked up the crying Hobbit. 

While Aragorn too was in pain after what had transpired, he knew when to quell the grief and when to move. There were times in someone’s life when they had to put emotion on hold and do what needed to be done. He would give into his grief now too if the threat of their lives weren’t hanging in the balance… if they didn’t have a wounded little girl in need of healing.

“Frodo,” he called.

His panic was only mildly abated when he spotted the ring-bearer, but the look of devastation on the Hobbit’s face ripped whatever relief he had witnessed, for in Frodo’s eyes reflected his own sorrow. Aragorn shook his head as he took Hina from Legolas’s trembling arms. They needed to leave now. And they did march forwards, slower than what he would have wanted at first, but it was better than no progress. His mind was half on the sun and half on the child in his arms, turning deathly pale in complexion as more and more blood dripped from her deep wound.

“We will need to bandage it,” Boromir said.

“Aye, or her blood alone will lead a trail to us,” Gimli agreed. “And the Hobbits are tired. Give them some rest.”

Aragorn conceded to the logic and lay the child down by the rocks. She mumbled the word ‘Orochimaru’ multiple times in her fevered sleep, but beyond that it was the pulsing of darkness on her neck that seemed to extend to the rest of her body that worried him. He unbuckled her armour and then pulled out the large rope-like waistband she wore before opening up her foreign drapes. They didn’t have the time to worry about modesty right now, so he ignored the fact that he was once again stripping her. He had a feeling she wouldn’t care either way.

“Do we have clean cloth?” Aragorn asked.

“For cooking, yes,” Merry said, pulling out a tea towel.

“That will do.”

He didn’t have any needles or thread to stitch up the wound. He didn’t know of any healing plants in this area either as it was rocky and barren of most flora. He was eager to bandage her up when the girl awoke and caught his arm.

“F-fire… cauterize the wound,” she mumbled.

“I don’t… you want me to burn the wound?” Aragorn asked worriedly.

Hina nodded and he swallowed his spit. That kind of method often put people into shock and sometimes their body would give out and they would seize and die. Aragorn had seen it. He wouldn’t think a little girl could deal with what most grown men couldn’t, if he hadn’t seen her bite back the pain of losing an arm. But should he burn the wound and stop the bleeding, it could still fester with rot. But he knew she wouldn’t last much longer with more blood loss. He had been hoping she could heal herself like she had regrown a limb.

“Can you not regrow the area?” he asked.

“N-no… no chakra,” she muttered dazedly.

She whimpered once again, and he noticed the markings on her skin deepen. Legolas quickly knelt down besides the girl at the sight and took her hand in his, holding it to his chest. The stress lines on her face mildly relaxed and she nodded his way gratefully.

“I will start a quick fire. We will have to do this quickly.” Aragorn said worriedly as he looked at the sun’s position in the sky slowly waning down.

To her credit she did not scream when Aragorn cauterized her wound, nor did she utter a word of complaint. She simply bit her lip and took the all too familiar pain of burning and tried desperately to control her breathing afterwards. She would have liked to say she could stand as well, but it seemed she had to be carried like a child. This world had a penchant for putting her in this unfortunate position. It had been a long time since she’d been treated like a child. She knew she was never truly wholly a child. She had childish instincts yes—her body did affect her yearnings—but she had the experience of someone who was in their forties now, and so she still didn’t like the idea of being treated like a child at times. It was as useful as it was frustrating to be constantly treated like a green horn.

Not that she could walk if she wanted to anyway. It was only after four days of feverish travel that she woke up in the morning shakily standing, using the tree to anchor her balance.

“You should rest Hina,” she heard Boromir say, holding her shoulder and gently pushing her back into a seating position.

“I’ve been carried enough,” she groaned.

“You’re still burning hot, and your body is weak. If you rush now, you will only harm yourself further. Plus you’re so slight that it matters very little that we have to carry you,” he joked mildly.

“Ha ha… I’m short… haven’t heard that one before,” Hina said, rolling her eyes, thinking back to how Gaku would always make fun of her height even though she was six at the time and tall for her age. She couldn’t wait until she was eighteen and towered over everyone. What a dream. 

Before she could make another quip, the seal on her neck burned and Hina gasped, holding onto it in pain. Her sound of agony made most of the men turn to her in worry. She cursed her sounds of pain, wondering why her body was betraying her now. She had been struggling to keep its corruption away, feeling as if it was hot on her neck like it had been the first time it was placed there. She hated it.

"Are you going to be ok?" Merry asked in worry.

"Aye, I'll be fine," Hina murmured tiredly. "We should keep moving... I can handle it."

“Tell me is there a way to ease your curse?" Aragorn asked.

"I've learnt to master it but the dark energies here... they irritated it and now it’s hard to control," Hina explained uncomfortably.

"How did you master it? Maybe it could help us ease its pain."

"I do not need your help for that!" Hina hissed in anger as it pulsed back to life. "This is my punishment and my curse to bear. To take the pain away would defeat its purpose."

"You allowed this curse on yourself then?" Legolas asked with a frown.

Hina held her neck and paled in wide eyed realisation at what she had allowed herself to blurt out. She cursed this place’s ability to make her spill her secrets. She was unable to think fully well, and her emotions were out of whack. Either always too calm or too brash under the split energies of this world. She was spouting things she would have otherwise kept secret now.

"Why would you do something like that?" Pippin asked, and although she knew Aragorn had at least the tact to not voice that question, he was still thinking it. In fact she saw the faces of her new teammates and it seemed they were all thinking it. She looked away in frustration. She owed them the truth at least… after having to put up with her the entire time.

"It's my punishment, for the crimes I committed—for the shame I bear. It is also a mark to show who I chose—and until I set things straight, I will not take it off," Hina said with a finality before she stood up shakily.

Everyone was too emotionally wrought to ask for more. The passing of Gandalf weighed heavy on their minds still. For Hina it was only a mild worry. She knew he would come back, although she wasn't sure she should voice those thoughts. It would only hurt them more when they didn't know to give them a doubt of hope that wouldn't come for a while. Her thoughts turned to her armour... the one gifted to her from her Sensei. She looked at the damage as the others stopped to eat and felt the stinging betrayal of her tears at its sight. She ran her fingers through its ridges and hated the large claw mark through it.

"I had not known one could grieve for armour," Boromir said, kneeling down beside her.

Hina wasn’t even crying, but the expression must have given it away. She looked down at the armour and sighed. A present… the only thing she had left from her life in Konoha… something Gaku took great pains to get to her even during her time in self-exile.

"It was from my old teacher," she mumbled.

"Then you must love him more," Boromir said sympathetically.

"There is no one in the entire universe I trust more than him... but sometimes I wonder if his faith in me is justified. I lost control there. That was my true self. Ugly and mad," she said in distress, feeling an exceptional amount of self-hate as her own broken self-seemed to reflect from the armour.

"You hold yourself to too much of a standard. We are only human. There is only so much we can do, and many things we could improve, but I find it is our greatest quality to strive even for the impossible. If you feel lacking now there is always a time to improve while you still hold breath."

Hina nodded her head in understanding. Boromir was right, and in a way his words reflected Gaku-sensei's. She was only human... sometimes she needed to be reminded of that fact. But when she looked in his eyes, she realised he was just repeating uplifting words, because his eyes betrayed his own lies. Boromir didn’t believe himself. He was just doing what he knew to do as a commander to get his comrades morale up. 

"Unless you're not human that is?" Boromir asked with a raised brow.

"What, of course I am," Hina snorted.

"That display of power and speed in Moria was almost more impressive than the tales of legendary Elves," Boromir pointed out.

"It's just how we're trained back home... although I’ll admit I'm a good deal stronger than most. Cause I'm awesome," Hina said with a weak smile.

"You are indeed awesome," Boromir barked a laugh. "Then shall we bring you back for some food and some healing. Aragorn will wish to fuss over your wounds for a while yet. It’s almost like he hasn’t seen you slay a Cave Troll on your own."

Hina was grateful for Boromir's attempt at lightening her mood. He truly was a good man despite how much the ring affected him too. She had a feeling in that sense, that they were both kindred spirits, best to leave the rings in the hands of Frodo with a much stronger will than theirs. And when Boromir laughed freely the way he did, she was reminded of Gaku-sensei. Her heart warmed and the seal stopped pulsing. Boromir had gone but had left her feeling lighter, a little more hopeful maybe that she would see her Sensei again. Maybe it would be a long time coming. She would need to break free from the thralls of the Akatsuki and defeat Orochimaru, but then she could go to him and rest. That was a great deal more than she deserved.

"Ha, I think I can heal myself now," Hina muttered as she conjured up the dredges of her chakra and bit down on another soldier pill to stop the bleeding and knit herself back together. There was use for this artificial body yet. At least she wouldn't have to be carried around like a child now.

"Your wounds have healed?" Aragorn asked, holding her shoulders, and tilting down to see.

"Hai, I just needed to get my curse under control. The good energy from the forest further down is helping," Hina explained.

Aragorn turned to where she pointed and nodded. At least now he knew where exactly the Elven settlement was. He knew he would have been escorted in either way by the Elves.

"Good, then we should be on our way again!"

While Hina still felt the heat of her fever, she refused to be carried again. She’d been carried way too much since she’d come into this place. Now going back into a forest she assumed was going to be just like Rivendell, she was sure she’d eventually need to be carried again if she couldn’t control the cursed seal enough to maintain some semblance of her awareness. She could feel the forest calm her down, and the seal on her neck ease. It made her uncomfortable to activate it as she did.

They had travelled for another day running as they did in their haste. Hina would normally have easily kept up, but she was still feeling the effects of her wound, and despite being asked numerous times, she didn’t want to be carried one more time in this kami-forsaken world. She’d been carried so many times it was beginning to hurt her pride.

“Stay close, young hobbits...they say a Sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell,” Gimli warned.

Hina narrowed her eyes at his warnings. Gimli was a little racist towards the Elves, but she knew he wasn’t a liar, not when it mattered. But she remembered Galadriel vividly in her memories… she never forgot a pretty face, so she knew she couldn’t have been all that bad. 

She looked up, feeling the urge to be up on the trees where she belonged, rather than travelling on the ground where she was like any other prey. She was too tired and wounded to do much though, even now all she wanted was to fall into a feverish sleep. Only her pride held her up together.

In her focus to keep herself steady Hina missed the oncoming scent of the Elves, or the fact that Frodo was looking around frantically. 

“—and are never seen again!” Gimli continued on his rant. “Well, here's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!” 

Just when he finished his sentence Gimli turned to see the pointed tip of arrows facing him. Hina couldn’t help but snort in amusement despite having an arrow trained at her back. It seemed all the short peoples of this world had impeccable comedic timing and who was she to not appreciate it. The Elves who had ambushed them weren’t as quiet as they thought they were, but neither did they possess an ounce of killing intent. 

“And you were saying?” Hina whispered in amusement to which Gimli just glared in reply.

“The Dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark,” the snooty Elf snorted, giving Gimli a disdainful look.

“Haldir of Lorien, we come here for your help. We need your protection,” Aragorn urged.

“Aragorn! These woods are perilous. We should go back,” Gimli said angrily.

“You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back,” Haldir replied before his eyes trailed to Hina’s neck and then to Frodo’s with a frown. “Come, she is waiting.”

Hina had expected all the Elves to be as inviting as Lord Elrond had been, but she might have been wrong. The ones they followed walked with the gaze of a Shinobi on duty, but they held none of the snark or sarcasm that still came with it. Instead they walked in a tireless pace, all synchronised to an almost unearthly amount, and all looking way too regal and hot for Hina to really find one eye-candy amidst the rest. She settled on giving Legolas the award for being the hottest Elf she’d known so far outside of Arwen. She let herself muse about useless things like this so her mind wouldn’t stray to how inexorably tired she was… and she never admitted to being tired if she could. 

Then after keeping pace for a day and a night, she thought she might collapse from her now growing fever. The Hobbits and Gimli didn’t look much better either, scrambling to find their feet.up

“Are you sure you do not need help?” Boromir asked, noticing her hobble.

“I’m sure,” Hina stressed in irritation, as she resisted the urge to grab her burning wound.

Boromir nodded, his hands seemingly flitting out in front of him for a moment before it hesitantly went back to his sides. Hina hated how this world wouldn’t allow her the respect she deserved. She hated how even now the stupidly bright energy made her sleepy and mellow like she was a little kitten. If it weren’t for the pain of her still active cursed seal, she would have agreed to being carried once more.

Eventually though they did make it to Lothlorien. Hina was mesmerised by the sight. Now this was a Village hidden in the Leaves. Large Mallorn trees were high up in the sky, the sunlight gleaming from its leaves, and behind it was Anduin river, casting its own natural light to the Hilltop colony. And she felt even more wonder when they entered into the Elven city, which was so engraved into the wood that it felt like a natural part of the architecture. It was graceful shining a silvery green onto the sparkling hair of its unearthly inhabitants. Hina decided that the Elves were definitely the Uchiha of Middle-Earth, blessed with beauty, stupidly overpowered genetics, and naturally born with a stick up their asses. 

Her excitement was cut short immediately when she saw the stairs and she had to stifle an audible groan.

“Kuso,” she hissed in a whisper as she looked up.

She felt so far gone she couldn’t even swear in English anymore. The light of this place was definitely overpowering the dark, and so she decided to stay close to the dark-haired Hobbit. She could find it easy to ignore the ring’s call in this dementedly good place. The stairs however were definitely hell for her abdomen, but she wasn’t a Shinobi and student to a torture happy Sannin, to be beaten by simple stairs.

They all stopped at the top of the tree, and Hina was caught off guard by just how bright the two Elves walking down the stairs were. She squinted her eyes and took a step back at their sheer presence. But after a moment she got to take a look at them, and it took everything to not have her jaw drop in awe. Here she thought Legolas was pretty. She figured that she was wrong because Galadriel and Celeborn were on another level entirely. The Lady of the Woods was flawless in every way, and while Hina remembered having a celebrity crush on her actor, the actor was nothing in comparison to what she was witnessing now. It was almost like she was standing before a goddess. Her golden hair shone like the sun, and in her ever-seeing blue eyes was the glint of the cosmos. 

“Nine there are, yet ten there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him,” Celeborn asked.

Everyone seemed distraught by the question, but no one spoke. The hurt was too recent, and while Hina did worry about the old Istari, she knew he was going to come back. There was always an inkling of fear and worry though. She knew the cosmic leakage of the stories never were a hundred percent accurate, and that her presence changed things for better or for worse. 

“He has fallen into shadow,” Galadriel whispered as she looked into Aragorn’s eyes. “The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all...Yet hope remains while the company is true.”

Her eyes trailed to Sam at this mention, and Hina noted when she looked up and away that she was probably still somehow looking at them.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace.”

Hina was glad that the Lady hadn’t talked directly to her, even though her eyes did trail for a moment that felt like an eternity onto her own. In that moment Hina felt like she was being laid bare, and she felt naked for the first time in a long time. The fact that Galadriel’s attention was on the others made her relieved.

‘One outside of time, whose soul does not resonate with the song of Arda.’

Hina snapped her attention up in shock. She had spoken too soon. And now suddenly a deep unsettling feeling shrouded her heart. 

‘A journey of perspective you will lead, and you will find no respite in it for some futures only hold darkness with barely a glimmer of hope to light the path. Should you fall to the darkness you will become consumed by hatred and bloodlust, and should you succumb to the light, you will lose yourself in aimless decadence. Place both trust in the heart and the mind, learn to heed wisdom, and your decisions will lead you to what you seek.’

“Take the girl to the healer.”

And with that Hina fainted.

Boromir was shaken to his core. Galadriel’s words echoed in his mind like an impossibility. In his heart he knew defeat… a defeat he had hidden away from the eyes of his father and brother to remain strong in the face of such unending adversity. Now, it almost felt like his limbs were failing, and as they tucked away a wounded member of the Fellowship, he felt only a growing sense of loss and dread. He could foretell the fall of his people. He tasted it on his tongue.

“Take some rest. These borders are well protected,” Aragorn said, bringing him out of his thoughts.

“I will find no rest here. I heard her voice inside my head—she spoke of my father and the fall of Gondor, and she said to me: ‘Even now, there is hope left’. But I cannot see it...it is long since we had any hope.”

He must have been a sight to see, eyes watery, face lined with sweat, and hands trembling with no hope. It felt like it had died with Gandalf on the bridge. Now all he knew was defeat… and even his words of encouragement earlier were a farce. Aragorn must see it too, and in his eyes, Boromir saw the sadness of one who had lost their people.

“My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing and our—our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right...and I would do it, I would see the glory of Gondor restored. Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze...have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?”

“I have seen the white city…long ago,” Aragorn admitted with a wistful look.

“One day our paths will lead us there, and the tower guards shall take up the call ‘the Lords of Gondor have returned’,” Boromir said, feeling an inkling of hope in his heart.

Aragorn returned his smile, but they both knew the sad look in each other’s gazes, the worry hidden away behind their longing. It had been a year since he had been home, having heeded the call of a prophecy he heard only in his dreams to find a Council in Rivendell. And for how much faith his father had placed in him, Boromir could only worry that it was misplaced.

Hina woke up to the most beautiful singing she had ever heard. She turned to see the face of Galadriel and was immediately quelled from her urge to grab her kunai. Instead she felt lost in those star-lit sparkling eyes that seemed to bore into her very soul.

“You look up with much love and much evil etched in your soul,” she said, her voice a whispery tune, although it carried like an echo in Hina’s head.

“Yeah, it looks like I’m doomed to live a terrible life,” Hina replied as casually as she could before smiling.

“There is a way out for you, and end to your suffering—put down your weapons and stay here.”

Hina almost felt the word ‘yes’ blurt from her mouth. She was tired, so very tired. Each day that went by she felt like it was a hundred years, and for each life she took unfairly, she paid with her very soul… and yet she could not stop. She was not allowed to stop. Her life was for a greater purpose now, and Galadriel had told her to stay in this land full of good and evil—a land that was not hers. She had made bonds with Aragorn and the others, bonds she did not hold to lightly. Their quest was a good one and she had gone without any good for so long.

“I… cannot,” she finally said, struggling to reject the tantalising offer. “I’ve committed so much evil with these two hands. Kinslayer, traitor, and a snake… the only thing I have left to give is my life.”

There was no hope for someone like her, to live a peaceful happy life, where she would find herself a wife, adopt children, and live out in peace. Her blood sung for battle, her hands had killed family, and her love was twisted by an age that did not fit the nature of her childish body. She had been twisted into something that wasn’t even human. By her own will she had allowed Orochimaru to take hold of whatever soul she had left—for her family she had allowed herself to sink into the throws of murder, deceit, and debauchery. 

“You mourn now the loss of your soul old spirito, but it is not impossible to get it back. All you see ahead of you is a struggle and fighting, but the day will come when you will truly see how to be free. That fate is not for you here. The longer you stay the more it will wound your heart to leave,” Galadriel warned.

“You sure are full of ominous warnings,” Hina chuckled weakly.

“Come now Hina daughter of Noritaka. Take rest with your father’s spirit.”

Hina’s eyes widened in disbelief as Galadriel gave her, her father’s omamori—the first one he had gifted her all those years back when she first went off to war. She held the amulet in her hand, trailing her thumb over the now silver embroidery which had once been red. She felt almost like crying at its familiar presence. She didn’t know how Galadriel did it, but when she ran her finger over the fabric now it almost felt like she was hugging her father. 

How had Galadriel known of her father—better yet she had originally addressed Hina as the one outside of time. That was a title given to her by the being beyond, the one she had met who bound souls to their next lives. Hina was certain now that Galadriel knew of her true nature.

“What did you do to the omamori?” she asked.

“It was blessed by the Valar… a rare and turbulent gift of balance. You will find that it eases the pull to your soul.”

Hina nodded in understanding. Galadriel was blinding in her beauty and goodness but Hina had not been enthralled by the pull of her good song. In fact she had kept her sharp mind and despite the energies around her, she did not feel its pull at her soul. It was a gift she was lost for words on how to describe. She pocketed her most precious belonging before getting out of bed, happy to note that her side felt much better too, and the tiredness and pain had gone. She was led to another room where she saw her belongings lay. Her eyes widened at the sight of her fixed armour. Without haste she ran up to it and palmed it with gladness.

“You fixed it,” she said in disbelief.

“It is of common material, and one we are more than able to mend,” she said with a soft smile.

“Arigato Galadriel-sama,” Hina said, bowing low.

“Come now. Haldir will show you to the Fellowship.”

Galadriel made her leave and Hina took a moment to change out of the white robes she was in back into her kimono. She was glad she carried around her own sealing scroll full of clothes because they were certainly dwindling with how much they were being ripped up. The Elf waiting outside for her nodded in appreciation for her expedient changing time.

“Forgive me for asking, but are you of a race unknown to us?” Haldir asked.

“Not that I know of. Why?” Hina asked, raising a brow.

“I’ve never seen natural hair the colour of leaves, nor eyes slitted like an animal on Men,” Haldir pointed out.

“I was given these eyes later in my life,” Hina admitted. “As well as this body… so maybe I’m not human like I was before, but I am at heart.”

“Yes, I will trust Mithrandir’s judgement,” Haldir replied before he opened the door to where they had been travelling to.

Hina noted the rest of the Fellowship lounging about, eating food, and at her appearance, Gimli shot up gladly.

“Ah Hina! Glad to see you awake and well lass. You had us all worried,” Gimli said heartily as he slapped her back.

“Have you learnt to accept aid when you require it now?” Aragorn asked, smiling fondly but still with a note of chiding in his voice.

Hina pouted. She did not want to be carried again.

“I won’t need aid in the future! My sheer awesomeness doesn’t require it,” she retorted playfully.

Just as she said that her stomach made the loudest rumble she had ever heard. Everyone went silent and then laughed as Hina blushed madly at her body betraying her.

“Well my awesome lady, you require the aid of some food?” Pippin joked.

“Har, har, laugh it up,” she said, trying and failing to hold back a smile as she accepted the bread from Pippin.

Hina would have been happy to stay and joke around with the Hobbits, Gimli, and Legolas, if it weren’t for Frodo’s brooding by the corner. The longer they travelled the more silent he became, the more distant his eyes wandered, and the darker they looked. Hina kept away because of the ring's ominous call—tantalising as it was, she knew darkness when she saw it, and she knew she would succumb to it eventually. It was like she was addicted to it, without even having tried it in the first place. She could only imagine what the Hobbit must be feeling—the pain he was in that she could ease if he just—NO!

She nearly slapped herself in the face, but Hina still walked over to Frodo, eyes desperately trying and failing to not look at the place in his chest where it was hidden. The Hobbit looked up at her tense and she wondered if it was wise for her to come near at all. She knew she should leave him be, but her body had moved on its own—eager to be close to such power.

“You look tired,” she noted.

“Yes, this journey is long,” he said dismissively.

Then give me the ring and stay here safe and away from troubles. Only I should carry the weight of this darkness like I have before—for my precious people—for the hard decision’s others cannot make…

“Have some food and take your mind off things,” she said instead as she threw the Hobbit and apple and turned away too quickly.

He was palming the ring on his chest now, and the sharp ringing in her ear had faded. Hina walked too quickly away, noting the look Aragorn was giving her. She had almost… she didn’t want to think about it. Why… no one else had been so enraptured by the call of the ring… so why was she so weak as to fall for it first? With trembling hands she took another piece of bread and ate it hastily. She nearly winced away when Boromir placed a hand on hers, and his kind eyes quelled her beating heart. There was empathy in them that only made her worry more.

Maybe the hearts of others had already been captured… Now she wondered if her earlier fears of being the first was founded in any way. In the end there were no winners near the evil thing… and she feared she would drop to its call.

Chapter Text

Middle-Earth Adventures Chapter 6

Hina was fascinated by lembas, the Elvish way-bread. It wasn’t so much the fact that it was a new type of bread that made her wish to study it, but rather how perfect it would be for missions. One bite and supposedly your stomach would be full, and it was sweet like the milk buns from her home’s bakery. It didn’t help that it smelt like freshly baked bread no matter how old it became. She just had to know how it was made, and so she’d casually asked for a recipe, only to be politely laughed at while the Elves serving her explained that you could only make it from a mallorn tree’s fruit. And the Elves, being Elves, had decided to keep the recipe secret.

For a supposedly kind and long living race, they were stingy as dragons about hoarding their knowledge , she thought a little bitterly. She could understand Shinobi keeping their secrets, because they were hostile to each other, and something this big could be used as an advantage in war. But there was no war between Elves and Men here. Hina figured the Elves could have done a whole lot of good by sharing this recipe. One would assume solving world hunger would be something the Elves would do willingly. 

They unfortunately did not stay for much longer. The next day Hina had gone to bother the Elves with making her new kimonos. It was a simple robe like garb and so it wouldn’t take long for them to make it. Unlike her travel companions she did require changing her kimono every day. She didn’t want to stink to high heavens like Aragorn did. She was no Ranger and no Lady either, but she enjoyed keeping her hygiene too much. Now only if she could steal away some toothpaste, because this world was going to give her yellow teeth at this stage. Once she went back to the Elemental Nations, she vowed to visit a dentist first thing. 

Then she went and practically strong-armed Celeborn into giving her a stack of Elvish paper. That hadn’t been so hard to do when the Elf had been agreeable, but it was still a nerve-racking endeavour asking favours from someone who married that scary lady. Hina shivered at the thought of Galadriel. She was simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. Something about the all-seeing, power that Galadriel possessed made Hina wholly uncomfortable. She knew smart people, but what the Elf-sorceress possessed was no mere knowledge.

Hina ate the boring old fruits and vegetables that the Elves so enjoyed eating, wondering why they couldn’t pass through a Dwarven town for once. She would have liked to have some ‘meat of the bone’ as Gimli would say. Not that she wasn’t fascinated by the Elves, but it remained that the Elves were a little beyond her culturally. She could not quite understand how an entire people were so unified in their temperament. It was somewhat unnatural, but she decided to attribute it to their long years. Maybe everyone just ended up behaving similarly once they hit a thousand years of boring old life. Hina had only lived about fifty years now, and she was eager to end it once her work was done. She could scarcely imagine having to suffer a thousand years.

“Hina, where are you going?” Sam asked.

“To the docks,” she replied pointing away and raising a brow.

“Now you aren’t going to slink away like a common thief, are you? The Lady Galadriel would like to bless us on our journey away and we can’t be spitting on her hospitality,” Sam chided.

Hina scratched her nose awkwardly. She was, in fact, slinking away like a ‘common thief’. She pouted a little as Sam took her by the hand and led her on like she was some petulant child. Hina didn’t want to face Galadriel. The scary Eld lady was nice, but Hina had stolen a mallorn seed after slinking around and finding no written document on how exactly to bake lembas. She would be lying if she said she regretted stealing the seedling. It was something she thought would help a great deal of people back home, not to mention Taichi would love the idea of such a thing.

Unfortunately for her she couldn’t find a logical reason to say no to Sam and ended up following the little Hobbit to where the Fellowship were waiting. Hina stood a little nervously by the Hobbit as she sensed the overwhelmingly bright presence of Galadriel make her way down the stairs by the left end of the clearing. She strode down, slowly, and elegantly, long white gown glistening behind her as her ethereal smile seemed to catch everyone’s attention. 

“Your journey ahead will be a test of strength. I can only hope to aid but a little in your quest,” Galadriel announced, as she waved her hands in a motion for her servants to come.

Hina noted a few Elves come behind her holding various equipment. Galadriel gestured first for the Elf in their group.

“My gift for you Legolas, is the bow of the Galadhrim, worthy of the skill of our woodland kin.”

Hina had to admit, the bow was incredibly beautiful. It looked ornate but not overly so, and she knew just how light Elvish materials were. Legolas pulled the bow experimentally and smiled much like a child would after opening a Christmas present. Hina had never seen the Elf so childlike in his expression before. Of course a bow had to do it for him, she thought fondly.

“These are the daggers of Onolorin. They have already seen service in war,” Galadriel continued as her servants handed over the silver blades to the Hobbits.

Pippin looked at the blade in his hands with not just a little bit of trepidation. He held the firm weight of it and almost felt a little sick. What little battle he had seen had taken all appetite for its glory from his thoughts. 

“Do not fear Peregrin Took,” Galadriel said, as if hearing his inner turmoil. “You will find your courage. And for you Samwise Gamgee, Elven rope made of Hithlain.”

Sam took the rope respectfully, but he turned to see the daggers his friends had received and felt a little left out. Despite knowing it was childish to feel jealous, he couldn’t help but feel so.

“Everyone out of us, got shiny daggers,” he voiced meekly.

He quieted down almost instantly when Galadriel smiled amusedly in his way, reminding Sam she had the great gift of foresight that he really wasn’t in a position to question. The Elf maiden made her way next to Hina who she looked down at knowingly. Said girl craned her neck away, entirely too flustered to look the Elven maiden in her eye.

“Hina daughter of Noritaka, you have taken something that is not yours,” Galadriel said bluntly.

Hina huffed her fringe out of her face, grumbling a little guiltily, as she pulled out the seedling from her pocket. Gimli besides her grunted in disbelief before hitting the back of her head in reprimand. Hina let out a grunt of pain, holding her wounded head and pride as she pouted. And there went her dreams of planting a Mallorn tree and making some bread. To her surprise Galadriel didn’t keep the seed, instead she gestured for one of her servants to bring a silver box and leather-bound book her way. They opened the box and Hina saw dirt inside. Galadriel put the seedling inside, closed the box, and handed it back to the surprised child.

“The mellyrn grow tall, their leaves shine golden, but for it to truly prosper it must be surrounded by the encouraging song of Arda.”

Hina frowned in confusion. Arda was this world, and so maybe it was a fruitless effort trying to grow it back home, but she could try anyway. Maybe she just had to play it music herself to grow it. Maybe if she set up a speaker system next to it… She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she’d almost missed Gimli simping over Galadriel, enough to make his gift be her hair. 

“—Except to look upon the Lady one last time, for she is more fair than all the jewels beneath the earth,” Gimli said.

Hina had to admit that when it mattered, Gimli did have a way with words. No one had ever been that romantic with her in either of her lives with such compliments. Galadriel did not fluster, instead she laughed with a genuine joy.

“Actually there was something… but one strand of your hair, to remember you by,” Gimli mumbled in embarrassment.

To Hina’s surprise Galadriel cut off three. She figured it must meant something important, considering Legolas’s bow was strung with Elven hair. Maybe it made for great crafting material. Hina had no idea what Gimli intended to do with just three strands, although she wasn’t about to question it. 

Then next Boromir was gifted with a rather fancy golden belt made out of intricate metal leaves. Hina had to admit, it really pulled his whole outfit together… although she wondered why Galadriel couldn’t give him some enchanted chest armour instead. She looked up at the Captain, and the humour from her thoughts left almost immediately at the dire implications of it. She bit her lips and looked down with a frown on her face while Galadriel pulled Aragorn away to talk to him in private. 

Frodo was given the last gift. It was a small crystal bottle.

“Farewell Frodo Baggins. I give you the light of Eärendil, our most beloved star. May it be a light for you in dark places when all other lights go out.”

Hina’s attention turned to Boromir who had come by her and Sam. He pulled up his new belt with a kind of amused, weary smile on his face, looking a mixture of confused and mildly humoured.

“A rope, a seedling, and a belt… I feel we may have gotten the shorter end of the deal here,” Boromir noted. 

Hina snorted in disagreement. “Talk for yourself. This is only the first step to an eternal supply of that famous Elvish waybread. It’s a gift that will keep on giving.”

“It’s a mighty gift indeed. I just have rope,” Sam said a little unsurely.

“Who knows maybe it will save your life,” Hina pointed out.

“How will a belt do any of that,” Boromir asked with a frown.

Hina turned to the man and looked on with dread. A belt wouldn’t do anything. It was a pity gift. Boromir was set to die and Hina knew it, but this time she was here. She put a hand on the man’s arm, catching his attention.

“I’ll be your armour and shield,” she told him with conviction.

Boromir just chuckled, ruffling her hair as if she’d told him a joke before he left. Hina held her head in growing frustration. For once her thoughts were too troubled for her to note the discomfort that action brought her, instead her mind was full of worry.

“Come on then, we still have a journey to make,” Sam said.

Hina nodded and followed along, her mind festering with worry.

“We travel down the Anduin, which would lead us on the path North of Mordor,” Aragorn explained.

“Take them by surprise from a back gate huh. I do like that idea. I have illusion techniques that could pass us off as Orcs… although you might find them unsavoury,” Hina said, trailing off with a wince.

“More of your magic?” Boromir asked.

Hina nodded. “Illusion spell if you will, although I am not a master of Genjutsu and so I often use a more physical method of blending in.”

“We should worry about that when we get there. We still have a way to go before we can be planning so early,” he pointed out.

“Gimli is correct. For now we stick to the river,” Aragorn said.

Hina grabbed a boat, hoisted it up easily enough and strode on by. The looks of shock she received made her raise a brow, and then she turned and noted that the boats were being carried by two men on either end. 

“Oh woe me, my hands are jelly. Can a big strong man come help carry the weight?” Hina asked with a giggle.

Gimli was the first one to laugh and the others followed suit. She put down the boat and helped the others drag it into water, and they were staring again. Boromir shook his head in disbelief.

“You weren’t lying when you said you can walk on water did you?” Merry asked in wonder.

He must have missed her doing just this during the battle with the tentacle monster, but she couldn’t exactly blame him for that, what with all the chaos going on.

“Yup, and you lot were doubting my sheer awesomeness last night,” Hina said with a grin. “I am all powerful!”

She giggled like a maniac, earning her a few amused glances. She knew she was being overly dramatic and childish, but it just helped ease the tensions and she would be lying if she said having the body of a child didn’t occasionally make her want to act like one, even if just instinctually to come off as less threatening. Eventually though she sat down with Gimli and Legolas on their boat, so as to stay far away from Frodo and the ring as possible.

“In your lands can everyone do the things you do?” Legolas asked.

Hina huffed. Admitting she wasn’t the only one who could walk on water would definitely ruin the mysterious nature of her talent and take away its charm, but for the first time in a long time she didn’t have to lie. She was in the company of people so far removed from her world that secrecy was almost stupid. So she decided she didn’t want the usual smoke and mirrors deceit and trickery that had become such a staple in her life.

“Yeah, if you want a run down on how our… magic works I can explain it to you.”

“You can explain magic?” Gimli asked in wonder.

“Aye, it’s not the mysterious kind the Istari wields.”

And so Hina went on a basic explanation of how chakra worked and how the elements tied into one’s nature. She showed them a few basic ninjutsu using wind and fire, her two elements and went onto explain that she was training to use all the elements, and that it was rare to find anyone who wielded them all. Well she childishly wanted to be the Avatar, and so a large part of her admitted it was because she wanted to make the ultimate elemental jutsu combo, but another part of her knew she was doing it to catch up to Orochimaru.

“Your world must be a wild one, if all learn to use such dangerous magics,” Gimli noted.

“Oh it is. War everywhere all the time. The last one lasted for six years. I spent half my life fighting in it,” Hina admitted.

“But you’re—”

“Fourteen now I think,” Hina said with a frown as she realised, she hadn’t been counting the days and her birthday probably past.

“So young,” Legolas said sadly.

“I don’t want your pity. Everyone fights and dies as children where I’m from. They were as much Shinobi as any adult,” Hina said getting a little angry.

Kusari had died a noble death. It was tragic yes, but she’d learnt to stop feeling like it was a waste. His life wasn’t a waste, and if she were to die tomorrow hers wouldn’t have been either. 

“My apologies,” Legolas whispered.

“Me too,” Hina said, subduing her anger and getting left with deep sorrow. “It’s just… I’ve watched my teammates die in battle before they even reached into their teenage years. Their life wasn’t a waste… It was—maybe let’s not talk about this. Tell me Gimli about the festivities of the Dwarves. I want to party with your people one day!”

Gimli noted the change in topic and was happy to help distract the normally up-beat girl with tales of their drinking parties. Legolas gave his input on how a real celebration should go, with joint singing and tales, to which both Gimli and Hina stuck out their tongues in distaste.

“A real party has drinks and challenges and fighting!” Gimli exclaimed.

“Exactly! And a really good spar where the winner takes all your clothes,” Hina chuckled.

“That’s a fine idea indeed!”

Legolas just shook his head at the two heathens he was stuck with.

It was by nightfall that Hina smelt something off. She turned to look behind her and scowled. The smell of Orcs. They were so foul they smelt about a billion times worse than Strider did after a month of no bathing. 

“I smell Orcs in the air,” she cursed.

Legolas turned and frowned too. “I felt an ill omen in the air too. We should tell Aragorn and Boromir.”

“I smell and feel nothing,” Gimli chimed in as he frowned.

“That’s because we’re more awesome than you,” Hina chuckled, earning a light punch to her shoulder from the bemused Dwarf. “Ok, ok, just kidding. I’ll just jump off and warn them.”

Hina jumped onto the water and ran towards Aragorn and Boromir’s boats. They turned to look at her in confusion.

“What’s wrong Hina?” Aragorn asked.

“I smell Orcs behind us,” she warned. “Normally I wouldn’t pick up their scent, but the wind is blowing our way and there are lots of them, judging from how potent it is.”

“You judge this all from scent?” Aragorn asked.

“I was trained by an Inuzuka… well do you trust me?” she asked.

“Of course. This is bad news. We will have to continue going.”

“But even we need to rest or when the Orcs do attack, we’ll really be dead,” Sam said tiredly.

“That’s true… it doesn’t look like they need rest like we do,” Hina said with a frown. “I’ll set traps on the way. Maybe that will slow them down.”

“No,” Aragorn said urgently. “The last time I let you of on your own, a Nazgul cut off your arm. You will stay with the group. We will simply rest little. Go to your boat.”

Hina frowned. She had promised to listen to Aragorn, and she didn’t intend to lie to him again, so she reluctantly nodded and went back to Gimli and Legolas. They were beginning to become like close friends of hers, and their banter was just gold. It was apparently an odd thing for an Elf and a Dwarf to be friends. Hina thought that the whole opposites attract thing was true, because their relationship reminded her mildly of Guy and Kakashi’s. Their banter also helped ease her mind of the ring whose call had become unbearable. It took her a moment to realise it was because of her enchanted omamori that its call had amplified. Somehow the omamori’s magic had taken over the world's magic but neglected the ring’s. This was probably what it felt like to everyone else too. With that horrible thought she continued on their journey down the river.

The next day Hina was met with the sight of something truly amazing. Gimli gasped besides her, and Legolas looked up in quiet reverence. It was almost like something out of a fairy-tale, and it was bigger than even the Hokage mountain in its size. As they passed the rocky canyon, they came upon two massive statues, their arms stretched out in a regal pose. 

“Who are they?” Hina asked.

“The old kings of Gondor,” Legolas answered, ever the pool of knowledge in their group. “Isildur and Anárion. They hold out their weapons in defiance against Mordor.”

“And Isildur was the one who brought about the fall of the Kings?” Hina asked, trying to piece together their history.

“Aye, the last great kings of Men,” Gimli said.

“Not the last,” Legolas replied, his gaze turning to Aragorn.

“I keep forgetting Strider-san is the descendant of a King,” Hina mumbled. “He just looks like a vagrant to me. Maybe one day if you lot decide to take baths and pluck your eyebrows, you’ll finally look the part.”

“Pluck our eyebrows?!” Gimli asked aghast. “What kind of madness is that?!”

“What you think my brows look this beautiful without some care. If Legolas can do it, every man should,” she said, raising a brow in defiance.

“I do not pluck my brows,” Legolas chimed in.

Hina gasped as she drew her face closer to the Elf’s. She squinted her eyes and scowled before huffing and sitting back down.

“Elves and their bloody genetics,” she grumbled jealously, to which Legolas just laughed.

And so they travelled onwards jabbing idly at each other and poking fun. Ever so subtly Hina could hear the whispers of the ring further away, always there in the peripheral, and she wondered if the others felt it too. She never asked, afraid they would truly leave her behind if she did… and then what… she was not ready to go back home. Not when she had tasted the sweet freedom of this world and the goodness of its inhabitants.

Eventually they settled down by the shore at night. Hina had taken her leave by Aragorn’s permission to go and scout behind to see how far the Orcs were. She sped through the treetops, glad to be back in her element under the moonlit shadows of the forest. It was an hours sprint that she found the Orcs had settled down for a moment, but they hadn’t built camp. They looked a lot stronger than the ones she had seen before, with big burly builds, and their numbers were high. She didn’t think she could take out this group on her own. While she was strong, they were too spread out to butcher quickly, to clumped together for methodical assassination and she was still light on chakra from keeping the Ring out of her head. 

So she made her way back. It was best to outrun them rather than to confront them anyway. She jumped down silently onto the ground and made her way towards Aragorn, who she tapped gently on the back. Said man spun around, drawing his sword to her neck in alarm, before he noted who she was, and the tension released from his posture turning into irritation.

“Don’t sneak up like that,” he cursed.

“Sorry, old habit,” Hina apologised, before her gaze focused back on the direction of the Orcs. “They come 200 strong. I do not think it’s wise to confront them.”

She could logically confront them with their aid in watching her back, but the idea of Boromir dying made her wish to simply outrun these Orcs until their next safe destination. 

“And we have another creature on our tail too,” Boromir noted, as he looked from around a large stone wall.

“Gollum,” Aragorn said as he sheathed his sword and turned to the river. 

“He’s been following us for a while now,” Hina agreed, noting her lack of any beef jerky. She had given it all to the man. 

“I hoped we would have lost him on the river, but he is too great a waterer.”

“And if he leads the enemy to our whereabouts, it would make the crossing even more dangerous,” Boromir pointed out, before he turned to Aragorn. “Minas Tirith is the safer road. You know that. From there we can regroup. Strikeout to Mordor from a place of strength!”

Hina stiffened as Aragorn did, his defensive, suddenly antagonistic posture catching her off her guard. He turned a little too sharply towards Boromir. 

“There is no strength in Gondor that can avail us,” he said. 

“You were quick enough to trust the Elves!” Boromir pointed out heatedly, before he shook his head in disbelief at Aragorn’s reluctance. “Have you so little faith in your own people?”

“Boromir—” Hina began, hoping to quell the situation when the man glared and continued on.

“Yes, there is weakness, there is frailty, but there is courage also, and honour to be found in Men! But you will not see that!”

Aragorn turned to leave, but Boromir grabbed him harshly by his cloak, keeping the man in place. Hina jumped into the middle, pushing the two men away from each other before a fight broke out.

“Enough!” she hissed, turning to glare at Boromir.

“Do not defend him Hina. He is afraid! For all of his life he has been afraid! Living scared in the shadows in fear of who he is, what he is!” 

“I will not lead the ring within a hundred leagues of your city,” Aragorn hissed before turning and stalking away.

Hina watched on worriedly as Boromir put a hand to his head. In the back of her mind she heard a whisper too, a voice calling out for her to reach it, to grab its power and to end this conflict altogether so that these people she had grown to care for could rest easy. She looked to Frodo’s direction and wondered if she could end it all, simply take the ring and keep it for herself. She could leave with it to the Elemental Nations and then there would be no issue. She wished for it desperately, wanted its power to mould it to her will, but her thoughts were taken back to the agitated man in front of her.

“Boromir, I understand… Aragorn he fears, and his fear of Men is what keeps him down… as a simple ranger and not a king of Men,” Hina struggled to say, trying desperately to find the words to convey her thoughts. “But he is right. If we take that ring to Gondor, our mission will not be so secret any longer and there will be eyes on Frodo… on us.”

Hina didn’t want to voice her true worry; that Boromir would turn on them once he reached there, as well meaning as he was, that he would take the ring for his people and in doing so give it to Sauron. He was just human, she reasoned, just a vulnerable, fragile human. She was so much more than just a human, she was a Shinobi, with strength far more than the average soul, forged in war and battle and hardened by loss and terrible experiences. She could handle it while he couldn’t. She could take it away… away from all the people who wished to see it gone. 

Boromir looked at her with a frown on his face, stepping closer and leaning forward in frustration. Hina took a step back at his sudden aggressiveness. 

“And what will he have us do then? When we reach the Black Gates of Mordor, when but 9 people walk into the den of a sleeping beast, with a great eye watching the land like a hawk does its prey?! What then? Not even your magic will help us! What good did it do for Gandalf—”

Hina stepped back wide eyed and then realised Boromir had crossed a line there. He seemed to think so himself and reeled himself back so as to not be towering over the girl. He put a hand to his face and pushed back his hair, as if coming to himself. 

“I am… sorry. That was uncalled for,” he apologised, voice trembling slightly.

Hina put a comforting hand on his arm and smiled weakly at him. She didn’t take it to heart. She would have if she thought Gandalf was dead, but she knew for sure he would come back—she had to believe it. He had been the Fellowships guiding light, a waypoint in the uncertainty of their route, and now that he was gone the group felt disoriented. She felt it herself, and she was sure Boromir felt it too. He was losing his composure and was being called by the ring. All the more reason to take it away, Hina thought. 

“You are on edge Boromir-san. Lay down and rest now,” she said gently.

She turned to leave but then she looked back at the man uncertainly. She didn’t often find the right words to say. She was better at taking action than talking things out, but sometimes she found that people should use their words.

“I know there is weakness in us, but you’re right, there is also strength,” she said with a pause.

Because although Boromir had said it himself, she wasn’t so sure that deep down in his heart he believed his own words. She wasn’t so sure she believed it either.

Finally after another two days of travel they reached their destination. Hina helped Aragorn pull the boats to shore.

“We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North,” Aragorn said as heaved the last boat to ground.

Gimli was smoking his pipe, not looking like he thought the plan made much sense at all.

“Oh, yes, just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks. And after that gets even better; a festering, stinking marshland, far as the eye can see,” Gimli replied back sarcastically.

Ever the one to not note humour, Aragorn continued on. “That is our road, I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf.”

“Recover my...” Gimli said in disbelief to which Hina patted his shoulder and just made him more indignant.

“We should leave now,” Legolas said urgently.

“No. Orcs patrol the Eastern shore. We must wait for the covers of darkness,” Aragorn replied.

“Not if the Orcs coming in from the south won’t get us first,” Hina replied worriedly.

“Hina is right. It is not the Eastern shore that worries me,” Legolas replied as he looked into the Parth Galen forest.

Hina was once again going to offer her services to place some traps around the Orcs when Merry dumped a pile of wood-fire and called for their attention.

“Where’s Frodo?”

Hina looked around in alarm. She had been trying so hard to ignore the Hobbit, that she hadn’t noticed him leaving. Then her heart dropped as she noted Boromir’s shield by the tree. This was where he would die…

“Frodo,” Aragorn hissed in worry.

“No time to waste! I will go ahead!”

Hina shot forward so fast she practically disappeared in a gust of leaves to their eyes. She jumped across the trees, closing her eyes as she took in their scents. She smelt Orcs, and fear, and the pulling corruption of the ring, and despite herself she jumped down at Boromir and shoved him away from the Hobbit he was cornering.

“Let me go child!” Boromir hissed.

Hina didn’t let him go. Instead she twisted him around and punched him in the face. He fell to the ground and she turned around, to bring her trembling hands up to her sides, as she too felt the sudden and impossible to ignore urge to sniff out Frodo and grab the ring for herself.

“Don’t you see what it’s doing to you? It’s twisting your thoughts,” she cried.

“No! I see your plans! You intend to take it for yourself! You’re the offspring of the enemy brought here to take the ring to Sauron!”

“I would see it gone!” she disagreed as she pushed Boromir to the ground and turned around to spot Frodo. “Gone from Middle-Earth! I will take it away!”

Hina jumped to her feet and strode to the Hobbit who was backing away. She ignored the fear in his eyes, focusing instead on the ring he was holding protectively in his hands against his chest.

“Give it to me Frodo. Middle-Earth will never see it again! You don’t eat, you don’t sleep! I see it in your eyes—the tiredness in your step! Give it to me and I will take that burden. I will take that ring to Sauron and smite him in his own domain!” Hina exclaimed

Take it. It is power. It will give you the strength to make men kneel before you. You will be powerful, strong, a protector. No one will force you to do anything anymore. It will make you a master! A master of your own fate! You will tell others to kneel. It will be you! A powerful master, a protector of your precious people. It will protect the precious!

Precious? Hina staggered back, only to feel a weight crash into her from behind, throwing her face first into dirt. She kicked the body off her, tossing Boromir away and then turned back to Frodo who had fallen too. 

“Give me the ring Frodo! Give it to me!” she urged, stumbling towards him.

Hina made to grab the ring when suddenly the Hobbit put the ring on his finger and disappeared. She was dropped once more to the ground by a hand on her ankle and she looked up in shock at the empty space in front of her.

“Frodo?!” she cried.

She turned around to see Boromir but no Frodo and no ring. He was not a pretty sight, nor was she. Their hair was dishevelled by their brawling on the forest floor, and spit had dribbled down their chin in their madness, but now they could only feel a dawning dread. 

“Frodo?” he asked desperately.

Hina whipped her head around and realised he had gone truly now, run away in their distraction. She shot off Boromir’s side and stared numbly at the ground. What had she done? What… she felt the calming embrace of her father. She gripped the dirt under her hand as she felt the warm embrace of his familiar presence. 

It was deceiving you. You were never the master. The ring makes you believe you are.

Hina let out a choked cry as she realised what she had done. Besides her Boromir scrambled to his feet in the same realisation.

“Frodo… oh what have I done?” Boromir asked, his voice cracking in grief. “Frodo I’m sorry!”

There was something so wrong about watching the proud Gondorian cry and sniffle like a child. Hina had also curled into herself, deeply terrified that if Frodo had stayed a moment later, she would have done worse than what even Boromir had tried. Said man having seen her in her state came to her side, and with trembling hands pulled her towards him in worry.

“Hina—Hina, are you ok… I-I didn’t mean—” he whimpered.

“The ring… it called to me too. I would have hurt you for it,” Hina said into her hands. 

“This weakness permeates us all,” Boromir said defeatedly.

Hina felt pathetic beyond reckoning. Her limbs were failing her, trembling as she was in Boromir’s equally shaky arms. The ring had almost enthralled her to its whims. Her mind had never been so overtaken by anything. 

UTSURO. UTSURO!

NO! She was not hollow! She was not the plaything of higher men. Not a slave anymore, she reminded herself… Yet she could feel the cursed seal on her neck pulse angrily at the energy she had felt before, only the omamori she palmed calmed it’s rageful chakra. She was a slave, she realised with growing dread—a slave to power and a slave to Orochimaru.

“It feels so hopeless,” she said trembling.

Why did it feel so hopeless? She’d never felt such a debilitating emotion before… it reminded her of all the worst moments of her life—of killing her own parents, of watching Kusari succumb to the poison in his veins, of leaving Anko to her betrayal. The ring was that and so much more. She would have succumbed to this draining emotion if she hadn’t smelt a familiar foul smell.

“Orcs,” she whispered, as their scents and sounds hit her nose. “Orcs! We must go!”

Hina tried to stand, but she fell down. Boromir stumbled to his feet as well and hauled her up beside him. He gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

“I will not be bested by some ring,” he said in reclaiming determination.

“Imagine that, a fashion accessory defeating our combined awesomeness,” Hina managed to joke forcefully as she pulled herself together. Then the two got up together and put their minds to the task at hand. 

Hina ran besides Boromir, unwilling to let him out of her sight. She knew he would die here. She remembered joking about it in a different life. Cat always found it amusing that Sean Bean died in all of his roles, but looking at the man next to her, an entirely different face from the actor, a person of his own—Hina was reminded that it was no joke. She didn’t remember much, but her skill alone should save him. She wouldn’t let him die. None of her teammates would ever again.

They ran down the length of the hillside, past the trees and shrubbery, and towards the scent of danger. Hina worried the pace in which she was forced to travel with Boromir would potentially cause someone’s death. That’s when she heard the familiar sound of Hobbit.

“Oi come here!” she heard Merry and Pippin scream to call the attention of the Orcs towards them.

“What are those Hobbits thinking?” Hina hissed as she ran and jumped hard enough to give a chakra enhanced kick right into an Orc’s head.

She got into her circle walk stance and growled lowly as she stood in front of them.

“Look a little girly!”

“Let’s kill her and then eat her!”

“Oh that’s funny,” Hina snorted. “You think you can even scratch me you shrivelled up scrotum-faces!”

The Orcs roared in challenge, but Hina simply shot forward and ripped one of their heads off with her bare hands and then grinned as its black blood spilled across her face. Then in quick succession she began engaging the Orcs in a Taijutsu battle, getting down in her beast stance and making it harder for them to hit her. She was going too fast for them, and even though they wore pretty thick armour, she only needed to find the soft flesh of their skin to rip out their throats and shove her fingers into their eyes and through the brain.

But they were too numerous in number and before long Hina was being flanked from the back. Before she could be slashed Boromir blocked a blade and killed the orc behind her.

“They’re stronger and faster than any Orcs I’ve fought before,” Boromir noted with a frown.

“Well then they’ll just have to realise that us Humans are the strongest race!” Hina shouted back cockily.

Boromir seemed to rally behind her blasé confidence. Hina knew she inspired that kind of feeling on the battlefield, like nothing could touch anyone while she still held breath, but it was a lie—a lie she acted out because it was better to die confidentially, then to die cowering in fear. Then she and Boromir began their onslaught on the Orcs.

Total Concentration Breathing! Tiger Palm Form 2: Beast Flare Form!

Hina shot through the coming enemies as Boromir sounded his horn and urged the Hobbits back. She took out ten Orcs in quick succession, before spinning in the air and catching the arrow of one that would hit Boromir. She snarled as she dropped to the ground, low on all fours and let out a feral growl towards the Uruk-hai that she knew would be the death of Boromir. Its ugly face was painted a white that she would happily turn black with his blood.

And then with speed unheard of Hina, in a blur of movement, danced and weaved her way around the orcs, taking out her Elven blade for the first time to cut their throats in quick succession. Before she could hit the final Orc, and their no doubt leader, he caught her blade with his own and Hina jumped back in surprise. He was fast! She grinned. A challenge was always welcome. She jumped down with more vigour as she took the beast in armed combat, something she was unused to, and it struggled to parry her blows, but she was tiring and used its falter to kick its legs down from beneath it and cut its head from its shoulders. 

Hina grabbed it by its hair and held up the head. She could see Boromir stare at her with astonishment in her eye and she grinned back lopsidedly.

“You cleared them all out,” Merry said in disbelief.

“No, I think there are more that way!” Pippin said pointing behind the girl.

“Where’s Frodo? We need to get him and Sam to safety and then we can dally,” Hina asked urgently.

The Hobbits fell into a silence and Hina exchanged worried glances with Boromir, a deep guilt running through them in that moment. Hina looked down at her traitorous hands and then kicked a tree in rage.

“No, he’s not dead! He went away!” Pippin explained quickly.

“By himself?!” Hina asked in shock.

Before she could press for more information, she noted Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn running their way, followed by another troop of Orcs on their tail. She and Boromir quickly joined them in battle. There were too many and she knew they were going to be overrun soon, and her chakra was exhausting quickly as she used it all to propel her wind walker technique. Soon she was panting and then she heard Legolas shout in distress. She pushed him out of the way only to take a hit to the head. Hina fell down with a groan, blood seeping down onto one eye and blinding that side. Seeing double and cursing, she ducked out barely away from another blow. She probably had a concussion—a Shinobi’s worst nightmare considering it messed with their chakra control. 

“Hina!” the Elf shouted, grabbing her, and making away.

“The Hobbits! Worry about the Hobbits,” she hissed.

And then when she turned around, she could not see them, and the Orcs were running away, no doubt with the Hobbits who they had come specifically for. She cursed as she struggled to her feet. She tried to dredge up whatever chakra she had left, but it had all drained after taking down so many enemies, and all she could do was watch as Legolas protected her, and she was reduced to an average fighter who happened to also be extremely disoriented.

Eventually though they managed to wade through the enormous number of stragglers, and after killing her last Orc, Hina fell down in a heap and huffed tiredly. The Orcs had gone! She had allowed them to leave with the Hobbits, and Frodo had left on his own too.

“Sam, where’s Sam?” she asked desperately.

“He must have left with Frodo,” Boromir whispered in defeat.

Hina threw the dead Orc slumping down on her to the ground in anger. She was too exhausted to run ahead and cover ground… and then what? They would no doubt regroup with a larger band of Orcs, who she wouldn’t be able to fight on her own. They had Merry and Pippin, two very adorable, vulnerable Hobbits, who could barely protect themselves.

“If we are quick, we will catch Frodo and Sam before nightfall,” Legolas reasoned.

Hina and the others turned to Aragorn, but he simply shook his head, and stayed where he was. Hina was once again reminded that this was Frodo’s quest. She felt lost, and unsure about her own position now. She’d always assumed they would travel far and wide like some real-life D&D group, but it seemed that was not meant to be. Instead she had betrayed their cause… tried so foolishly to take the ring for herself not having realised her own folly until the ring-bearer made away on his own.

“You mean not to follow them...” Legolas said in realisation.

“Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands,” Aragorn replied grimly.

A silence befell the remainder of the Fellowship. Everything seemed to have gone south so quickly. Gandalf’s death had been a precursor to their fall. It seemed one by one they were splitting. Now Frodo and Sam had left alone on their path to Mordor, and the other two Hobbits were captured. Hina wished for Gandalf’s presence in that moment. With him had left hope and reassurance… and she couldn’t quite understand why. 

“Then it has all been in vain...the fellowship has failed,” Gimli wailed, voicing Hina’s concerns.

“Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death, not while we have strength left,” Aragorn says determinately. “Leave all that can be spared behind... We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc.”

“Yes!” Gimli shouted eagerly.

“They’ll wish for death once we catch them,” Hina agreed, wiping the Orc blood on her face with a growl, only serving to smear it across her face more.

“I… I have failed the Fellowship,” Boromir admitted, bringing their attention back to him. “I attacked Frodo and tried to take the ring.”

He looked defeated as he fell to his knees. Hina leaned against the tree behind her and put a hand on her face to hide her own shame. 

“I have as well. I fought my own friend like a rabid dog for that cursed thing,” she admitted remorsefully.

Without the enchantment on her omamori, Hina wouldn’t have even realised her own stupidity. Boromir had somehow managed to shake himself from his weakness while she had needed aid. She silently thanked Galadriel, before putting a comforting hand on the downtrodden Boromir. He held her hand, squeezing it back in an attempt to comfort.

“Then it is good that he is far away,” Aragorn said gently as he helped Boromir up, and put a hand on Hina’s shoulder. “Regain your honour Boromir son of Denethor, Suzuki Hina. We will rescue the Hobbits we can, and you will believe to stay true to the cause.”

“It feels so hopeless,” he said in defeat. “Gondor is yet to fall, and we have lost our way.”

“There is yet hope as we breathe. I will not allow Minas Tirith to fall while I still hold breath. I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you—I will not let the White City fall, nor your people fail,” Aragorn promised as he gripped Boromir’s shoulders sturdy.

“Our people...our people,” Boromir corrected the man in growing strength. “I will follow you, my brother, my captain… my king.”

Aragorn looked up in disbelief but when Boromir took him in an embrace, he returned it with similar vigour. Aragorn had for so long rejected his heritage, thrown aside the idea of being King. It was not who he was, he told himself, because it had been easier to run from that burden than to embrace it. He had feared failing like Isildur had, like all Men did, like Boromir did in that moment. But maybe there was hope beyond that failure for Men, to be redeemed, to find peace. Aragorn knew then that he would have to take up his call now. He could not hide behind the name of a Ranger. 

Then the man Hina had seen whimpering not a moment ago, looked for a moment like he had his strength back. She wished she could say the same. Whatever the ring had done to her had made her lethargic and oh so nihilistic, and as her chakra eluded her, she felt all the weaker. All she could do was keep up with the men in front of her. In a day or two she would be ready to run properly, but she feared by then Merry and Pippin would be lost.

“Now will you allow yourself to be healed? A lesson learnt?” Legolas asked Hina.

“No way, it’s just a head wound. I’ll be fine,” Hina said stubbornly. “Let me wash the blood off and then we will begin our hunt!”

“That’s the spirit!” Gimli agreed heartily.

And so the remainder of the Fellowship went on their way to bring back their missing Hobbits, and Hina left with a heavy heart reminded of her failures.

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 7

They had been travelling for three days nonstop, only taking an hour's break at a time to rest on the occasion. Couple that with chakra exhaustion, and a terrible concussion and you had a very grumpy Hina. She kept it hidden behind her silence though. Gimli was complaining enough as is.

Aragorn got down and listened to the Earth. Hina could hear it too, but that was because she had enhanced senses. How the Dúnadan did it was beyond her.

"Their pace has quickened," he said looking up. "They must have caught our scent. Hurry!"

"Come on, Gimli!" Legolas urged the Dwarf.

"Three days' and nights' pursuit. No food. No rest. And no sign of our quarry but bare rock can tell!" he grumbled before huffing and following.

Hina scouted ahead and to her relief noticed a familiar leaf brooch. She picked it up and smiled for the first time in days.

"They left a trail," she said happily.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall," Aragorn says.

"This brings only relief," Boromir agreed, notably less worried.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come!" Legolas said agreeably. "Come, Gimli! We are gaining on them!"

"I am wasted on cross-country! We Dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances!" he complained.

"Want me to carry you Mister lazy-butt?" Hina teased.

"A Dwarf will never be carried!" Gimli said angrily as he sped ahead.

Hina looked at Legolas with a 'that's how you do it' look, as Gimli ran ahead with renewed vigour. The Elf smiled back in amusement before beginning his run as well.

They continued on for another three hours or so before they stopped atop rocky hills. Hina huffed. She wished for trees. Oh she missed trees. These rolling plains were hard to travel in. Still it was a sight to behold.

"Rohan. Home of the horse-lords. There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us," Aragorn noted.

"Or maybe their kind doesn't need rest," Hina ventured before she jumped forward to where Legolas was standing,

"Legolas, what do your Elf eyes see?" Boromir asked.

"The Uruks turn northeast. They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

"Saruman," Aragorn cursed.

"We should make haste!" Boromir growled.

They began running once more. Hina heard Gimli muttering something about breathing. Even Hina was beginning to tire, using whatever chakra she gained to keep going without rest. She had travelled once before like this. Three days without water and food. It was a harsh three days of sprinting, but she had done it… not with a raging concussion though.

"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them," Legolas said in exasperation as he looked at the sprinting orcs in the distance.

"If only my chakra was here," Hina cursed.

She only had one chakra pill left and she didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary. This didn't feel like the right time. That was until they kept running throughout the night into the fourth morning and everyone was beyond exhausted. They didn't even take a moment to look at the stunning sunrise behind them… well everyone but Legolas didn't.

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night," he whispered.

They ran a little further and Hina caught wift of the smell of really sweaty men and horses. Not exactly a pleasant odour, but she'd learnt to lower her expectations for nearly all of the men in this world—well except for Elves because they were so stupidly perfect, they also happened to have no sweat glands.

"There are dozens of men on horses coming from the East," Hina informed as she paused to sniff the air. "Should we be prepared to fight?"

"No, we should wait and see. They could be Riders of Rohan," Aragorn replied.

"This could mean aid," Boromir said in relief.

Eventually they all fit themselves behind a rock surface and watched as around 60 or so riders rode through. Hina had to admit, the size of horses and their speed did make them terrifying to face in battle. She still preferred running on her feet though, but for now she was tired and was envious of these men sitting on their steeds. Aragorn was the first to run out behind them.

"Riders of Rohan, what news from the Mark?" he shouted.

Hina, Gimli, Boromir, and Legolas followed suit and the horsemen turned in their direction. Hina grabbed for her kunai when they began circling the group, but Aragorn held her hand and stopped her. It took everything to not just get in a defensive stance as they pointed their spears at them.

"What business does an Elf, Men, a child, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak!"

"Give me your name, Horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," Gimli replied stubbornly.

Hina sighed as the men drew out their spears at Gimli's insolent reply. Thankfully, Boromir had the sense to step out in front of the Dwarf and hold him back.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," Éomer growled.

Hina was right there with Legolas when she drew her kunai and he drew his bow. No one threatened her friends on her watch, least of all Gimli who she had begun to like very much.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" Legolas warned.

Hina growled in danger when the spears came closer, but it was Aragorn's hand on hers that made her pause. Boromir made his stance in front of Legolas as well. He caught Éomer's eye and the man looked up in realisation.

"Boromir?" he asked.

"Aye, it is I. This is Aragorn son of Arathorn, Gimli son of Glóin, Hina Suzuki, and Legolas of the Woodland realm." Boromir introduced.

As if noticing the tension ease from Éomer's shoulders, his men all dropped their spears, and the rider took Boromir in an embrace.

"It's good to see you again my friend."

"What word do you bring Éomer? Of Théoden King?" Boromir asked.

Éomer's lips thinned in frustration and sadness. "Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin. Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those still loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets."

Hina didn't miss the fact that he said spies and looked pointedly in her direction at the word, a large amount of suspicion going her way. Only Boromir's hand on her shoulder deterred the Rohan Rider from further questioning her no doubt odd appearance.

"We are not spies. We track a party of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They've taken two of our friends' captive," Aragorn explained.

"I am sorry my friends. The Uruk are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."

"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asked urgently.

"They would be small – only children to your eyes," Aragorn added just as quickly.

Éomer shook his head with a grim expression. "We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." Éomer pointed to the distance where the smoke rose. Hina felt her heart drop in her chest.

"They're dead," she whispered in disbelief.

"I am sorry," Éomer replied sympathetically.

Hina felt Boromir put a calming hand on her shoulder. She looked down defeated, feeling the weight of this grim finding. Merry and Pippin weren't meant for this kind of danger. In them she had seen an innocence that she had forgotten, and to know they had died so brutally, cut down no doubt… made her feel angry and depressed. She barely noticed as Éomer turned to whistle.

"Hasufel! Arod! Faruun!" he shouts as three horses respond. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell."

Boromir, Aragorn, and Legolas grabbed the reins of the horse and turned to Éomer, but the man simply put his helmet on, looking at them with grim hopeless eyes, as if the weight of some failure was on his shoulders too.

"Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope, it has forsaken these lands," he said bleakley before he turned to his riders. "We ride north!"

The remaining members of the Fellowship watched the riders go in disquiet silence, their thoughts turning a mile an hour to the fate of their smallest companions.

"If I had only been faster," Hina whispered bitterly.

"Do not blame yourself for their fates. We should not lose hope," Aragorn said, "at least until we see it with our own eyes."

Hina nodded and for once allowed him to hold her hand. She let Aragorn help her up on the horse despite her really needing no help to do it. She was tired and was glad he took the reins behind her. She had only ever ridden one horse before, but it was a caravan horse, not one used to running fast.

They travelled in tortured silence towards the smoke. Hina had seen enough of her comrades die to know it wouldn't be a pretty sight if there ever were any remains left. When she came upon the burnt bodies, she was reminded of those Shinobi who died in the flames of a fire jutsu, and she felt sick. Despite this, she jumped off the horse speedily and rummaged through the corpses hoping to find nothing. Instead her eyes landed on a belt and she felt a dread settle in her chest.

"It's one of their belts," she whispered, holding up the charred apparel.

"Hiro ît ab 'wanath... (May they find peace in death)," Legolas muttered eyes down.

"No, it can't be," Boromir said, turning around.

While Aragorn kicked at a helmet and screamed, Hina closed her eyes and focused on her nose. The least she could do was find their corpses. She sniffed again and smelt nothing. Hina shuffled by the area, eyes wide on the ground.

"Aragorn, tracks!" Hina exclaimed.

"A Hobbit lay here, and the other," he said, noting the imprints on the ground.

Hina could see it too, the image playing out as Merry and Pippin crawled away in the chaos. Her time learning tracking from Gaku-sensei had made her eyes keen for these kinds of signs.

"Their hands were bound…" he followed the trail for several steps before exclaiming, "Their bonds were cut!" Aragorn pulled up the broken length of rope with renewed hope in his eyes.

Hina looked to the forest in relief. "They ran over there. They were followed for a bit and Merry loses his belt," she explains before she rushes up to the trees. "They ran in here!"

"Fangorn forest?!" Gimli exclaimed.

"Madness," Boromir agreed in worry.

"I don't get it," Hina said, looking back confused. "It's the most neutral thing I've felt in this world. Why would it be bad to go into a forest?"

"This forest is old… very old. Full of memory and anger," Legolas explained.

"Um sorry… did you just say a forest was full of memory and anger? Hate to break it to you buddy but trees don't feel," Hina pointed, still baffled.

"But they do. Elves can hear its call, but it eludes the ear of most Men," Legolas explained.

"What next, you can talk to animals like a Disney Princess?" Hina asked with a raised brow.

"I'm not sure what that is, but no I cannot talk to animals. Now come," Legolas said, gesturing to the forest.

"Gladly. I missed the trees," Hina said happily as she shot up and stood vertically on its surface. She was once again met with incredulous stares. "Oh standing on a tree makes you speechless when you've already seen me walk on water? What are we waiting for? We have two princesses to save!"

"Good to see her back to normal," Hina heard Boromir snort.

"Aye, her mood was setting me down too," Gimli agreed.

Hina pretended not to hear that. She was in the trees where she belonged. It was good to be back. Well it would have been if the branches weren't hitting her on the face every five seconds. After one rather hard whack she grumbled and jumped down to the party, holding her red face with a scowl. Legolas and Gimli laughing at her plight didn't make her feel any better.

"How does the forest not like a girl with green hair? One would think it would welcome you in like their offspring" Gimli laughed.

Hina held her offended cheek and grumbled in agreement. She thought it probably had to do with her twisted chakra. If this world was more in tune with energy, then that would make sense. The Elves could sense the cursed seal a mile away.

"It's the cursed seal for sure," Hina grumbled in irritation as a root tripped her and she fell on her face. "Ugh! Curse you, you stupid forest! I'm going to turn vegan and eat you!"

"Let's not anger the trees when we're in a living forest," Aragorn chided lightly as he helped Hina to her feet.

Gimli touched the leaves by the track and licked it. He spat it right back out in disgust. "Orc blood," he muttered.

Aragorn got back on track as he scoured the forest floor for more clues. He came upon big indents and looked at it in confusion. "These are strange tracks."

"The air is so close in here," Boromir noted.

Hina stopped when she heard the forest groaning. Legolas looked around and she turned to the Elf expectantly. Well he was a Wood-elf. She expected him to be the one who knew what was going on. He gave her a pointed look and smiled as if the groaning was self-explanatory.

"The trees are speaking to each other," he explained.

"Of course they are," Hina huffed, wondering if she should be surprised anymore.

"Gimli!" Aragorn hissed.

"Huh?" the Dwarf asked back as he turned around, axe still in hand.

"Lower your axe," Aragorn said, gesturing his hands lower.

"Oh," the Dwarf mumbled as he reluctantly put it away.

Hina felt it too, and she noticed that Legolas did as well. Their heads snap behind them to a blinding presence. The group goes back on guard as their two sensors look up at the same time.

"Aragorn, nad nâ ennas! (Something is out there.)" Legolas warned.

"Man cenich? (What do you see?)"

Hina palmed her kunai, Boromir his sword, and Gimli his axe as they waited for a moment in silence for Legolas to answer.

"The White Wizard approaches," Legolas warned with a frown.

"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us," Aragorn cautioned.

Hina's eyes grew wide in excitement. No this wasn't Saruman. This was Gandalf! He was coming back to them alive. She lowered her kunai and stood up a little straighter ready to tell her friends to calm down when they jumped to attack. She watched as their weapons were deflected and they dropped them to shield their eyes instead from the sheer brightness of the Wizard's light.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits."

"Where are they?" Aragorn asked.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?

"Gandalf?!" Hina cried out hopefully.

The bright light dimmed and the shocked expression on everyone's face turned from the girl to the Wizard now. It became clear almost instantly that it was in fact Gandalf. Hina felt hope again at his presence. She didn't understand why, but it was like his presence alone kept her heart beating, and she hadn't known how easily she had fallen to despair without him until she had him back.

"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman," Legolas apologised as he bowed in reverence.

"I am Saruman… or rather Saruman as he should have been," Gandalf replied.

"It cannot be. You fell," Aragorn whispered.

"Through fire and water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth," Gandalf explained. "Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside."

"You killed the Balrog?" Hina asked in awe. "You're insane!"

"Insanity indeed," Gandalf replied with an amused twinkle in his eyes. "For in fighting the Balrog had the darkness take me. And I strayed out of thought and time."

Hina gasped. Thought and time… Gandalf had been to the place beyond, where the soul existed to travel to the next realm. She had been there before too, and suddenly she felt the urge to stop him there and ask a million questions, but the look of hope on her companions' faces stopped her prematurely. She would have her time, but it wasn't now.

"Stars wheeled overhead and everyday was as long as a life-age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."

"Gandalf!" Aragorn exclaimed like he's finally believing for the first time.

"Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name," he smiled.

"Gandalf!" Gimli and Boromir shouted as they rushed to the now White Wizard's side.

"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide," he explained.

Hina laughed in relief, and for the first time since she came to this land she cried. The Wizard took her into an embrace, and she laughed as she buried her face into his chest. This was relief. She had long since come to realise that she only ever cried in relief now. All her tears of sorrow had been spent on too many a heartache.

"It is good to see you too my child," Gandalf smiles. "But there will be time yet to rejoice. Now we have a duty yet to complete."

Hina wiped at her eyes and nodded as she and the others readily followed behind the Istari. "One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed," Gandalf explained.

"Edoras? That is no short distance," Gimli exclaimed.

"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the King," Aragorn continued.

"Théoden King has always had a weak heart," Boromir added with a frown.

"Yes, and it will not be so easily cured," Gandalf replied.

"Then we should assassinate him and replace him with Éomer. Problem solved," Hina said.

She was met with several looks of shock and concern and she wondered if maybe that was crossing a moral boundary in this world. Akatsuki had asked her to kill many nobles before and the idea had become normal to her. She supposed regicide might be a tad bit too much here.

"We will not assassinate a King," Gandalf said as he hit the child on her head with his staff.

"It was just a suggestion," Hina grumbled.

"Well then, looks like we ran all the way here for no reason," Gimli chimed in. "Are we just going to leave the Hobbits here in this horrid dark, dank tree infested—"

Just as Gimli continued his rant the forest groaned angrily. Hina dodged a branch that would have otherwise whacked her face only to be tripped once again and Gimli had his behind whacked by some vines. Hina stood up indignantly.

"Hey stupid trees, I didn't even say anything!" she complained only to be assaulted by shrubbery again.

Legolas laughed as he pulled the girl close to him to protect her from nature's wrath. Gandalf rolled his eyes at the immaturity of the group, but there was a hint of amusement in them before he was once again the one to bring them back on topic.

"It was more than a mere chance that Merry and Pippin were brought here. A great power has been sleeping here for many years," Gandalf explained.

"A great pain in the arse, more like," Hina said as she hissed at a tree branch that came at her.

"The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche," Gandalf continued, ignoring the child's mutterings.

"In one thing you have not changed dear friend," Aragorn said with a smile as Gandalf leaned in. "You still speak in riddles."

Hina smiled and noticed everyone else did too when Gandalf laughed. It was a good laugh; one she was glad to hear again. Even this horrid, dark, dank stupid tree-infested forest wouldn't make her smile sour today.

"Something is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong," Gandalf continued with a grin.

"Strong… oh that's good," Gimli muttered unsurely.

"Stop your fretting Master Dwarf, and you little one stop breaking the branches," Gandalf chided.

Hina dropped the branch she had broken in retaliation at her feet and pretended innocence as she came up behind Boromir. Out of everyone in this group he was the least likely to scold her like a child and Aragorn had the penchant for going dad mode.

"Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact they're more safer than you're going to be," Gandalf said as he walked down quickly.

"This new Gandalf is grumpier than the old one," Gimli muttered to himself.

"And whiter," Boromir smiled in amusement.

"Not like you could get a tan in the afterlife," Hina chuckled.

Hina and Gimli found themselves running ahead, eager to be out of this cursed forest. They almost breathed sighs of relief when they went back out into the plains. Gandalf turned to the plains and whistled piercingly. Almost as if by magic, the sound of a horse answering came from beyond and Hina witnessed the whitest horse she had ever seen, gallop towards with tremendous speed. She supposed Gandalf only did things in colour schemes… which considering she was entirely green all the time she could respect. She mused for a second if she could have passed herself off as Hina the Green, a foreign Istari. That would have been a good cover if she'd bothered with one.

"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell," Legolas asked.

"Truly a steed of the Valar," Boromir agreed.

"Shadowfax," Gandalf introduced. "He's the lord of all horses and he's been my friend through many dangers."

"Come then, we shall travel across the plains of Edoras!" Boromir said eagerly.

Hina jumped back on behind Aragorn as Gimli took Legolas's horse. She wasn't eager to chafe her thighs again, but determined it would be better than having to deal with that evil forest. To think she'd once loved forests… well she still did love the ones outside of Konoha. At the thought her heart yearned for home.

They rode throughout most of the day and then finally settled down at night. Having travelled for nearly 5 days without rest had made everyone tired. It had taken too much out of Hina. She was still in a child's body and it required sleep, even if she was used to not getting it. But she had questions for Gandalf she had refrained from asking until they were alone in private. When she came about after eating a hearty meal to make up for lost ones, she saw Aragorn and Gandalf talking in private, their gaze turned to the fires of Mordor in the distance.

"Hina, you're still awake?" Aragorn asked as he turned to see the half-dazed child. "You should sleep now little one."

"Thanks but no thanks. I wanted to… talk to Gandalf," Hina admitted.

Aragorn hesitated for a moment looking between the two before nodding and taking his leave. Hina took Aragorn's place beside the Istari and frowned off into the distance.

"Something troubles your heart," Gandalf said notedly.

"You said you had 'strayed out of thought and time'," Hina repeated cautiously as she palmed her hands. "In that eternity where time is a flux, and your body is naught but an essence."

Gandalf's eyes widened and he nodded. "That is correct. How do you know of this?"

"I was there in that void once. My soul… it is bound to a cycle. After one death I am reborn into another world. Again and again I live, doomed to repeat key events in my life like a broken record… and I want to end this cycle, or at least take away the memory of it. It was my experiments in ending my own… soul that brought me here."

"Therein lies terrible magic," Gandalf said disapprovingly. "For that end you will curse yourself only more."

"But I don't want to live again. Legolas said the Edain find their journey in the great beyond, a gift that is not given to the Elves. I simply want to stop existing. One life is enough. I can't bear one more… ripped from my loved ones again and again," Hina said, feeling a familiar, terrible existential dread creep up again.

"You may not find the answers you seek in me, for I am but an emissary of the Valar and their wills. There are powers beyond even me, Hina. For the answers you seek you will have to travel to higher beings. Even then you are a queer case. No music to hear, not even the kind the Valar could tune to their whim," he replied with an apologetic look.

Hina sighed as she looked at her hands, still soaked in the phantom blood of her parents. No fate was too horrible for her. It was as if the universe itself was prematurely punishing her for crimes she had committed in the past and would commit in the future—a cycle of failures she would leave in her wake.

"Yet I know it is easy to lay down the sword and die, but true courage is in perseverance. Do not succumb Hina, for that will truly be your fall," Gandalf warned.

"First Galadriel and now you," Hina replied, shaking her head in amusement, before a yawn was ripped from her mouth and her tired body betrayed her.

"Now sleep little one. We will need to be rested for the perils to come."

"I'm not really little you know," she said, hoping for once to break this pretence.

Gandalf looked at her and nodded. She hoped that was acknowledgement. Sometimes she did feel little. It's hard not to feel so small and insignificant when she was just one person in such a large world. Sometimes it was easy to slip into this odd pretend state where she was in fact a child, because everyone here seemed to treat her that way. It wasn't entirely a bad feeling. It felt almost like running away from the grips of responsibility. Hina looked up at the stars and wondered if this was all some elaborate form of pretend. Just one big game before life called time out and got her back to work.

Hina was only all too happy to go back to her bedroll, but she had one thing left to do. She took Gandalf into a hug. Child or not, there were moments where she wished she had shown affection before and had held herself back because of some arbitrary rule of maturity. At least if she was pretending for a while, she could take a moment to get rid of one more future regret. The old man held out his arms as if shocked by her action before he chuckled and hugged back.

"It's good to have you back Gandalf… oyasaminasai (goodnight)," Hina said tiredly as she walked away.

Gandalf was left with a smile of his own. Yes, things were certainly not ideal, but they had hope yet, and perseverance was the only way towards victory. Sauron and Saruman had chosen to go against people with spirit. They would soon regret it.

After two days of travel on horseback, and more than enough time for Hina to sleep tentatively against Aragorn's unfairly comfy chest, she felt almost alive again. That was until they finally entered the Kingdom of Rohan. It's walls were in disarray, it's people looked gaunt and sluggish.

"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard," Gimli grunted.

Hina nodded in agreement at his apt description of this dreary kingdom. All the people turned to look at them ride by with distrust and weariness in their gazes.

"Be careful what you say here. Do not expect a welcome," Gandalf warned.

Hina noticed a woman dressed too richly to be a peasant looking down at them from the hall outside the castle. She promptly disappeared away, and they were left to climb the stairs in silence. Eventually they were met with guards by the gates.

"Ah," Gandalf muttered as he caught Hama's eyes, a familiar guard he knew.

"I cannot allow you before Théoden-King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Gríma Wormtongue."

"Wormtongue… really?" Hina asked in amusement.

The guards did not reply with her same humour, instead they waited patiently for them to remove their weapons. Hina didn't feel too bad handing over her kunai and shuriken, even as dwindled as the supply had become. She could fight well enough with her fists if she wanted to. So she unbuckled her kunai holster, and her sword, and the several other hidden compartments in her kimono, getting as much amusement as she could from the guard's watching her impatiently. At some stage even the Fellowship was shaking their heads, as she leant down to her shoes and pulled out a kunai from there as well. She didn't need to give them her scroll with more weapons in it… did she?

"Are you quite done?"

"Nope. One more," she mumbled as she handed over a senbon from inside of her sleeve.

Hama gave her the briefest of glares before turning to Gandalf. "Your staff."

"Hmm? Oh. You would not part an old man from his walking stick?" Gandalf asked innocently.

Hina watched on in glee as Hama hesitated for a second and then eventually gestured for them to follow him in. Hina entered the hall and picked up the absolute staleness in the air almost instantly. The King… if one could call what looked like a living corpse a King, was sitting on his throne, leaning towards an equally pasty man, with slicked back hair and gnarled teeth. Hina was beginning to wonder if evil was synonymous with both terrible hygiene and really, really bad luck in the genetic department in this world. If this minion was so ugly, she didn't ever want to see Sauron's face.

"My lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming. He's a herald of woe," she heard the man whisper.

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King," Gandalf exclaimed.

Hina noticed the men drawing near with their swords and paused to get herself ready for a fight.

"He's not welcome." Grima continues to whisper.

"Why should I… welcome you, Gandalf… Stormcrow?" the King asked before his gaze fell back to Grima for confirmation. The man nodded eagerly in response.

"A just question, my liege," Grima asks slimily as he walks towards Gandalf. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell spell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest."

"Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!"

Hina almost whistles in appreciation for the zero shits Gandalf gave for Grima's insults. The Wizard raised his staff and the slimy man backed away in sudden fear.

"His staff! I told you to take the wizard's staff!" Grima shouted in alarm

Just as she suspected the guards came in for the attack, but their group of five easily took out anyone in their way. Boromir himself could easily overpower all of them if he wanted to, Hina mused as she idly threw a man aside. Meanwhile Gandalf completely ignored the all out brawl happening around him as he walked forward unfettered.

"Théoden, son of Thengel, too long have you sat in the shadows!" Gandalf said as he continued down the hallway in confident strides.

Hina and Gimli stepped on Grima as he tried to crawl away. They both grinned evilly at each other as they put more weight on the man's back making him groan in pain.

"I would stay still, if I were you," Gimli warned the corrupt advisor.

"Hearken to me! I release you from the spell," Gandalf shouted.

For a moment Hina expected something to happen, but just like with that bloody Dwarven door, there is only a kind of anticlimactic silence.

"Hahahhhahahahaha! You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey!"

Hina wonders if that was Saruman the White speaking through the King. It was hard to tell considering he held the King's voice and demeanour. Before she could ask Gimli next to her if assassination wasn't such a terrible route as an option B, Gandalf pulled back his grey cloak and the hall is filled with a bright, almost blinding, light. The King was thrown back swiftly into his seat.

"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound!"

Hina watched in wonderment as the Wizard went about doing his wizardly duties. She had no idea how his powers worked, and it confused her. Her chakra had rules, it had methods of use, and it had stringent limitations, but the Istari were in a different league altogether when the time called for it. She barely even noticed Éowyn rush in and get stopped by Aragorn, in her enraptured amazement of the Istari's ability.

"If I go… Théoden dies," Saruman threatened, through the King.

In response to the threat Gandalf simply exerted his magic harder, drawing the energy around him taut and to his whim. The Kind stiffened against the chair, as if fighting against some invisible force.

"You did not kill me; you will not kill him!" Gandalf challenged confidently.

"Rohan is mine!"

"Be gone!" Gandalf shouted as he smited Théoden. The king who had gone to lunge at the Wizard was promptly thrown back into his chair once again. Théoden let out a moan and slumped forward in the chair, once the presence of Saruman left him. Éowyn ran to her uncle's side as he fell, catching him just in time to hold him up. Almost suddenly, the man's leathery pale skin grew some colour and tightened back up.

Hina whistled, impressed at Istari magic once again. "Remind me to get Gandalf's anti-aging cream," she whispered to Gimli who snorted at her humour.

"I know your face. Éowyn… Éowyn…" he said in recognition as he held his niece's hands, who wept in joy. "Gandalf?"

"Breathe the free air again, my friend."

"Dark have been my dreams of late," the King said as he looked at his trembling fingers still mildly disoriented.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better... if they grasped your sword."

It was almost like watching history unfold out. Hina was more than a little surprised with herself for taking part in such big matters. A lifetime ago the thought of being involved in a world's history was almost impossible to imagine. Once upon a time she had been but a normal scientist, but now she watched as a King regained his strength and once again drew his blade.

Her reverence for the whole situation was cut short when Grima began squirming under her feet. She grabbed the man by his shirt and threw him towards the middle of the hall. It was finally time for some due justice. Judging from the look in Théoden's eyes, it seemed they would be witnessing a good old brutal public execution. It had been a while since Hina saw one of those. Still it was kind of cathartic watching the pasty man get thrown down the stairs.

Argh! I've only ever served you, my lord!" Grima begged.

Théoden did not stop his angry descent, sword still in hand. "Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!"

"Send me not from your side!"

Hina thought that was a little stretching it as far as begging went. At most he should only be allowed to ask to keep his life. Well, it wouldn't matter anyway considering he was going to die—she'd spoken too soon. Aragorn had held the King's hands back before the blade could fall. Hina was more than a little confused… Was there some information Grima could give them yet?

"No, my lord! No, my lord. Let him go. Enough blood has been spilled on his account," Aragorn pleaded.

"What the—" Hina mumbled in shock as she watched Aragorn let the man scramble to his feet and run away.

"Get out of my way!" Grima cried as he pushed through the crowd.

"Should I execute him further from the Village?" Hina asked Boromir and Legolas. Maybe they had let him go so they could track him back to Saruman?

"What no! Haven't you heard Aragorn? Enough blood has been spilt," Boromir said gravely.

"But… he's probably going to run back to Saruman," Hina frowned. "And he's the enemy who enslaved a King… why are we just letting him run free?"

"Sometimes murder is not the answer," Legolas replied with a frown of his own.

Hina disagreed. Killing solved a great many problems. You imprison a maniac and they'd probably come back somehow, but you put him in the ground, and he was the problem of the great beyond.

"Hail, Théoden king!"

Hina's attention turned back out to the crowd as they kneeled. Since neither Legolas nor Gimli knelt, Hina didn't either. She barely even knew who this man was anyway. Not ten minutes ago he looked like a corpse, and his whole Kingdom had nearly fallen into ruin because he let himself get magicked by some pasty white man with a constant bad hair day. Still, she felt almost sorry for the King when he turned to look at his Kingdom with despair in his eyes—as if noting something worth withering over.

"Where is Théodred? Where is my son?" Théoden asked, his eyes growing wide and desperate.

Hina winced. No, that was not good. To lose a child… she couldn't imagine that. Whatever strength was left in the King's eyes faded to grief and tears.

The funeral was a sour thing, quick and sudden. There was no time for any formal preparation, and she knew for the son of a King there was surely more than this simple veneration. Still, the size of the funeral or the grandeur of it didn't matter much—not in comparison to the grief she knew etched into the faces of Théodred's loved ones. Even the common people mourned. He must have been a great man.

After a brief song that struck Hina's heart with grief, Éowyn came to their side. The people of Rohan trickled out and away leaving only the King in his heartache. Éowyn was left to take the Fellowship with her to the castle.

"Follow me good sirs, lady," she said, wiping away her tears. "Your journey has been long, and our hospitality earlier has been lacking. Let me show you food and water."

"We thank you Lady Éowyn," Boromir said, holding her hands in his, with a sympathetic look in his eyes.

She nodded but fell silent afterwards, instead leading the way towards the banquet hall where she ordered some servants to prepare food. Hina was grateful for the hot food, but it felt almost wrong to eat it after witnessing such a tragic event. It reminded her of the many funerals she had visited during the 3rd Shinobi War. She had buried her parents and her partner. She had seen too many burials.

"Forgive me for asking, but I know of Dwarves, Men and Elves, but I have not seen one like you," Éowyn said, catching Hina's attention.

Hina turned to spot the King's niece and smiled lightly. She knew a lady trying to escape her grief with distractions when she saw one. "I get that a lot. I'm human for the most part if you're wondering."

"Don't listen to the lass, she's a frightening creature who wields both blade and magic," Gimli snorted.

"Well not to proclaim my awesomeness to the world but yes he's right," Hina says lightly.

"But you're just a child and a girl," Éowyn frowns.

"It's not so uncommon where I come from for little girls to fight. Not ideal, I know, but magic tends to even out the playing field for even children to join," Hina explained as she chewed on a juicy piece of chicken.

Éowyn looks conflicted at that information. It went against every moral fibre inside of her to allow such young children into such dangerous positions, and yet it could be said the same for women. Men treated her as something to be protected, to be kept away from harm, to be almost a backdrop to their battles and history making. It frustrated her to no end, that she should see her brothers die and in harm's way while she faded away in a castle, chained behind pretty walls and pretty clothing. It was everyone's right to fight and protect in her opinion.

"It is a hard to grasp concept," Éowyn admitted. "Here women do not fight."

Hina looked up and frowned. She knew fighting and killing would always be a male dominated profession, and women who joined would be rare and few to be found even if it was encouraged. Women were just in the majority not as physically confrontational as men. She supposed in a world where men did not exist, there would be far less wars and more sabotage, but that wasn't something she often wondered. But looking up at Éowyn she found it hard to believe that they barred her from fighting when she was so adamant to do just that. Even back in her old-world women were armed and ready in case of an invasion. The Russian women were expected to fight and protect their land as much as the men were, and they were involved in the war as medics and home armies. Just cutting off all women from war sounded so ridiculous to Hina on a logical level.

"So you're saying that women here are just expected to sit down and die if anyone ever successfully invaded?" Hina asked incredulously.

"No we would protect them and the children to the last of our breaths," Boromir chimed in, half insulted.

"So say a bunch of Orcs managed to take down a whole city and all the men died—women and children would be defenceless," Hina pointed out with a frown. "Not to mention it's ridiculous that you're cutting out 50 percent of your population from your ranks. Weaker or not, women have arms and legs too, and pointy things generally kill people regardless of their gender."

"What a refreshing take," Éowyn mumbled with the beginnings of a smile.

Boromir shook his head. "War is the province of men."

"I'm a girl," Hina pointed out.

"You are… an exception," he settled on saying.

Hina rolled her eyes. Well this wasn't her fight to fight. Éowyn lived in this sexist world and Hina felt almost sorry for her to have to deal with this bullshit, but she knew that someone as determined as Éowyn would find a way to prove herself. No one should be forced out of fighting for the people they loved and wished to protect.

As if to save her from having to continue this conversation Gandalf and King Théoden walked in carrying two children in their arms. Hina noted instantly that the boy's lips were cracked, and his breathing was shallow.

"Éowyn, get these children a hot meal and a cloak," Théoden ordered.

Éowyn nodded and rushed off to do just that. Hina watched as the boy and girl weakly took their spot on the table as soup, bread and water was given to them. They dove into their meals as if they hadn't eaten in weeks, and it was only the gentle coaxing of Éowyn's hands that had them calm down. The Lady gently asked the crying children questions as they ate.

"They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the wild men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot and tree," she relayed.

"Where's mama?" the little girl asked, as Éowyn 'shhed' her to calm her down.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight!" Gandalf urged.

"You have two thousand good men riding North as we speak. Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king," Aragorn urged.

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now. Éomer cannot help us. I know what it is that you want of me. But I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war.

Hina is right there with Gimli on this one in their silence. She wanted nothing to do with war talks. Direct her to the next fight and that would do. Plus she wasn't so invested in the war as she was in her friend's lives, although she figured they tied hand in hand.

"Open war is upon you. Whether you would risk it or not," Boromir added in, as he crossed his arms.

"Boromir is right. There is no other option," Aragorn pressed.

"When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."

Gimli besides her took a drink and burped, wiping the alcohol from his face away with his beard. Hina tried to hold back a laugh at his utter irreverence to the entire situation but failed for a moment, before she stifled it with a clear of her throat, and handed the cloth to the thankful Dwarf to wipe his beard. Gandalf shook his head at the immaturity of his group and turned his attention back seriously to the equally as unimpressed King.

"Then what is the king's decision?"

Théoden turned in his heels, a look of hopelessness in his eyes.

"Empty the city. We take our men and women to refuge in Helm's Deep!"

With that he stormed out of the Hall leaving a confused Hina. She didn't really know what all these places and names meant, but from the sounds of it, it was a fortification.

Hina was beginning to tire of all this running about. She could name at least 5 better ways to end the conflict if the group just let her have at it. Her most favourite option was to just go assassinate Saruman, impersonate him, and then lead his own army into a destructive ambush. That was what she was best for. She toppled down many places in secret during the 3rd Great Shinobi War. Iwa didn't fear her and her team simply because they were strong—but because they had sown discord and confusion into their very ranks. Hina thought maybe she could drive some logic into this group.

"Gandalf, please hear me out," Hina urged the Istari as she ran up next to him.

"No we will not assassinate the King," he said prematurely.

"No, how about you let me assassinate Saruman then?" Hina asked.

Gandalf paused for a moment, looked down in disbelief and then snorted. "What makes you think you can even do that?"

"I'm a master of stealth, infiltration, sabotage and assassination!" Hina retorted in indignation. "Many armies of men feared my meddling! I probably can't beat Saruman in a head on confrontation, but a little slip of some poison and—"

"We will not win this war in such a manner," Gandalf cut Hina off before she could continue.

"But it could save lives," Hina protested. "Why fight a war you can prevent?"

"Saruman is but one piece in a bigger plan. We need his information—and I fear to let you go there underestimating his power. He will control you should you fall."

Hina paused at that. She did suppose her falling into enemy hands would be a pretty shitty situation for the Fellowship… but she saw these gangly men and wondered how the heck they would survive an Orc army. Especially these newly improved Orcs called the Uruk-hai.

At least she had Gimli on her side.

"Helm's Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king? Hina is speaking logic. We should nip this conflict in the bud!" Gimli demanded.

"Thank you for being the one voice of reason in this group," Hina grunted in frustration at Gandalf as she crossed her arms.

Why follow a weak King like Théoden? He wasn't even strong… just born into the goddamn role. Leadership should only be given to those who proved their worth after all. Kami knows if she hadn't done anything about the Hokage position, Hiruzen would have been back in the seat and Minato would have died. It was up to the people to assign their leaders, and she had assigned Fugaku. Her faith in him came from his name in battle and politics, not the position of his birth. Not that one's birth wasn't important in a political context, but she reasoned that ability was the more important of the two.

"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past," Aragorn explained.

Hina thought Aragorn had too much of a bleeding heart. The man was too good. She ignored him as he ran besides Gandalf to the end of the stables where Shadowfax stood. Instead she turned to Boromir who had been oddly too silent in the whole meeting.

"What's got your panties in a twist?" Hina asked.

Boromir nearly gaped at her explicit language, but instead laughed for a moment. "Nothing to worry about Hina. I am simply in thought."

"About what exactly?" Hina pressed.

"About the nature of kings," he murmured.

"Well brother you got me there," Hina huffed, before she decided she wasn't in the mood to ponder hard topics at the moment. "Now show me how to ride a horse! I'm tired of being the backseat driver."

"Backseat driver?" Boromir questioned before he decided to drop the question altogether. Sometimes the girl said odd things, and he'd learnt to just stop asking for an explanation lest he wanted a headache. "We will have time on the road to show you. Do you need help getting on?"

"Pfft no, I can jump onto that ceiling and stand on it upside down in one go right now. I don't need help sitting on a horse," Hina said indignantly.

She pushed Boromir out of the way as Gandalf shot past them on Shadowfax. She supposed Wizards everywhere wanted to make a grand exit… she couldn't blame them. She turned back to Boromir.

"Where was I? Oh right—teach me sensei!"

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 8

Boromir was finding himself greatly indebted to this child. She had not only stopped him from committing a grave mistake against Frodo, but he knew in his heart he would have breathed his last moments against the Orcs without her aid. It had originally gone against everything in him to agree to travel with a woman, let alone a child. Only the confirmed rumours of her having defeated a Ringwraith in battle had made him halt his protest. He’d begun to see the strength in little things. Hobbits and now Hina, he mused. The girl was not made to ride horses, but she was learning from him at a reasonable pace.

“You have to place a measure of trust in your steed,” he said.

“Someone as beautiful as Ruilar here has all my trust. Don’t you pretty boy,” she crooned at her horse, only for the animal to whip it’s hair at her face in annoyance. “Ouch! Traitor.”

“Ruilar is a horse not a puppy,” Boromir laughed. “Treat him with respect and he will return it. Now come on, let’s get you trotting. Keep your back relaxed or it’ll hurt you in the long run, and you remember the way to steer?”

“Hai Boromir-sensei,” she sing-songed in irritation as he continued his instruction.

“Your tone reminds me of my brother’s,” Boromir laughed, feeling a little longing at the thought of his kin.

He seemed to have caught the child’s attention because her keen green slitted eyes turned his way in sudden interest. He realised he had spoken very little of his home or his kin, but she hadn’t uttered a word about her family either.

“You have a brother?” she asked.

“Yes, Faramir. He is a good man. One day I know he will do great things,” Boromir said proudly.

“I have brother’s too,” she admitted. “An older brother and a younger brother.”

Boromir noted the look of sudden worry on the girl’s face. “You worry for them?” he asked.

“Hai, my older brother is a baker, but he’s strong. He raised Tsukiya as a baby after my parents… after they died. And now my otouto is going to become a Shinobi like me. No matter how much I warned him against it, his heart was set on the matter.”

Boromir was mildly shocked. Hina had always come off, in some way, as someone important. He had assumed her parents would have been warriors of their own, but to think they had been simple bakers. It did catch him off his guard, but he would also admit to understanding her fears.

“It’s never easy to let family go into danger, but we must place our trust in them to choose the right path,” Boromir said softly.

Hina could understand now why Boromir had been so easy to take in the Hobbits under his wing, to train them on their journey at the beginning. She could see the older brother just gushing out of every pore in his body.

“Your brother sure is a lucky bastard to have you,” Hina smiled.

“Language little one,” he huffed, although not in offence if the smile on his lips said anything.

It came quickly and died quickly. Boromir knew he should remain here in Rohan while it needed his help, and he had sworn to do well by the Fellowship’s side, but he also had just heard word of Osgiliath’s troubles with increasing Orc raids, and despite his words of comfort to the Shinobi, his heart was hammering in worry for his brother. There weren’t very many things he loved in life. Not the pleasure of a woman, nor the call of gold, or the praise of nobility made him happy. It was in protecting his home, his men, and his family that he found his meaning. A very large part of him wanted to ride there immediately, but a voice in his head whispered for him to stay for now.

“Come then, show me your skills Hina,” he said changing the topic as he began to trot.

The girl followed after him as they rode alongside the now displaced people of Rohan. She ignored their curious stares at her unnatural appearance, instead focusing on keeping the horse stable as she rode it along. Eventually she trotted by Gimli and beamed at him a little too proudly.

“Look at me Gimli-san! I’m going to be a horsemaster at this rate,” she boasted.

“Why you’re only going the pace of a snail,” Gimli retorted, rolling his eyes.

“If I’m a snail then you’re a rock,” she jabbed back.

“Why you little—I’ll show you.”

The Gimli rode a little faster and was almost instantly thrown off his horse. Hina barked in laughter alongside Éowyn and Boromir.

“It’s alright, it’s alright. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate.” Gimli said as Éowyn helped him up.

Hina trotted up to the embarrassed Dwarf and grinned in victory. 

“What did you say you’d show me Sir Rock?”

“Why you little—face me on the ground!”

“No way, I’m a horsemaster now!” Hina said feigning haughtiness as she left Gimli behind.

“Must you poke at him?” Boromir asked with a smile.

“If I don’t make fun of Gimli-san and Legolas-san this world wouldn’t be any fun,” Hina chuckled.

“Come on then, if you want to learn to ride circles around Legolas too, then you’ll have to pick up pace,” Boromir implored. 

“Hai sensei!”

It had been a long time since Théoden had seen his niece laugh as freely as she did. He had felt an ache in his chest at the thought that her smile had been erased by his weakness against the forces of Saruman. Then when he watched the odd child go by, he knew he had put off a question that had been coming back to his mind. He turned to Aragorn beside him.

“Who is that girl you travel with?” he asked.

“Her name is Hina, and her tale is an unbelievable one unless you’ve witnessed it firsthand,” Aragorn replied after a moment’s hesitation.

“I need to know who she is if she will travel with us,” Théoden stressed.

“She calls her kind Shinobi, but I think she is from another world entirely.”

Théoden’s eyes grew wide in shock. Well that truly was unbelievable, but he didn’t think Aragorn was a liar.

“You must be mistaken… perhaps she is a spy of the enemy sent to trick you,” he replied with a frown.

“ I have travelled with her for months, and she is but a child—a skilled warrior-wizard, but still a child. Her path lies in the twilight zone, but she is on our side. She is loyal to a fault.”

“A warrior-wizard, you say. Is she of the Istari?”

“No, but maybe from another order. She called them Shinobi and no foe of hers would be wise to underestimate her stature. She can move at blinding speeds, conjure elements to her will, and walk on water and vertical surfaces as if the world's laws do not abide by her. She is also… lost. She lingers here out of fear at whatever lies in her homeland.”

“She is an unknown I do not want to risk in such dark times, but I will trust your judgement on her character. Should she be one with the enemy then the deaths on her hands will also be on yours Aragorn,” Théoden warned. 

“You have my word that she will not harm your people,” Aragorn said without hesitation.

He knew she would not betray them. In her heart was an undying loyalty to those she bonded with. He had not mistaken that emotion. Of that he was sure.

By the third day Hina had gotten terribly bored of riding Ruilar. Not only did riding him make her thighs ache, but also, she felt restless with all her energy travelling at such a slow pace. It was even slower than when they’d travel with the Hobbits. Despite these irritations, this time Hina had the self-control to stop herself from running around the Rohirrim like a child high on sugar. She felt like almost kissing Galadriel for whatever it was she did to the omamori in her pocket. It kept the energies of this world at bay and she felt less like an over eager brat, and more like the 50-year-old she chronologically was. Sometimes her childish emotions got the better of her, but that wasn’t something new. She figured she’d have to weather it out until she turned 20 in this body.

“I’m going to go scout ahead with Legolas,” she finally said, unable to hold back her energy any longer.

“Ok, but don’t leave his side,” Aragorn instructed.

Hina rolled her eyes at his unnecessarily protective behaviour. Aragorn would probably never stop seeing her as a kid until her body got older, but she didn’t think she’d be on Middle-Earth long enough to finally see the day where he treated her like an adult. So she rushed off to Legolas’s side, knowing she’d exhausted Gimli’s tolerance with her after teasing him as a pastime.

“Tired of your horse, horsemaster?” Legolas smirked.

“Oh hush you,” Hina said, playfully hitting his shoulder. “You know people like us need to run about every once in a while, or our legs will grow stiff with disuse.”

Hina was beginning to become too used to this odd way people here spoke, but she kind of liked it. It was a lot more formal than the English she was used to speaking back in Australia where they had a penchant for shortening almost everything for the sake of expediency. 

She continued scouting ahead happily, taking to it much like an Inuzuka ninken. Yama had taught her much when it came to scent. The Inuzuka dog was as much a sensei to her as Gaku was in a way. It was due to this that she quickly smelt Orc. She turned to Legolas and signalled danger—although since they didn’t have an established signing system and so it just looked like her waving her hands frantically in warning.

Legolas knew what she meant well enough and ran to alert the others. Hina shot past Hama and before the Warg could grab him in its jaws she conjured a wind blade and stabbed it through the nose. The large hyena-like animal let out a dog-like yelp of pain as it stumbled back. Taking that moment Hina grabbed her shuriken and threw it straight into the rider’s throat. She hastily picked up the man who had very nearly been killed before her attention turned eastward.

“There’s a whole group of them coming! We must hurry!” she shouted in worry as she turned to the King.

Théoden twisted his horse around, unable to find the time to really gape at the sheer speed in which the little girl had brought down her enemy. She had sped away towards the people before he could even blink. 

Hina rushed towards Aragorn but it seemed Legolas had already warned him. The civilians panicked but she deemed this a good thing for once. They’d make haste in leaving now. Kami knew they had been travelling so slow that it was a wonder Saruman hadn’t already overrun them with a whole army and ended the conflict by now. She grumbled in her own head that this fight wouldn’t even be happening right now if she’d been allowed to assassinate him and impersonate him for a while. 

Across the distance she heard the sounds of hundreds of Wargs and their riders. She didn’t wait around for the riders before she jumped into the battle alone. Best to get rid of them as much as she could… and a part of her would be lying if she didn’t admit that a battle like this made her feel greedy for all the action. Killing Orcs was surprisingly cathartic. They were so far gone from humanity that killing them didn’t have the unfortunate side effect of feeling guilty once the bloodbath was done. It was amazing! She tried to ignore the part of her mind that lamented the fact that Orcs didn’t exist in the Elemental Nations. Maybe if there was one singular evil entity, then everyone wouldn’t be so focused on killing each other.

She threw down a smoke bomb, the biggest one she had on her, and watched in pleasure as the animals and their riders stopped their charge in confusion. Then she used her enhanced hearing to track them down in their own chaos as she dodged arrows and swords and cut their necks with her Elven blade Pikapika. Once the smoke had cleared the Rohan riders rushed in and began cutting down the Wargs in their confusion.

“Hina, get on!” Boromir shouted at her.

Hina grabbed the man’s hand and threw her weight up onto the creature. Her earlier intervention worked because of some good ol’ Shinobi scare and confusion tactics. She didn’t think she could take down this entire army before her chakra ran out. Not without the help of others. She had just helped thin the herd to save some good men from dying unnecessarily.

They continue in this bloodbath of a battle as horses and Wargs clash. It was clear to Hina that the Wargs were the better steeds, what with their added benefit of sharp canine teeth and their wide jaws. Still the horsemasters of Rohan were nothing to scoff at as they continued on their onslaught.

“Five!” Gimli shouted.

“We’re counting?” Hina asked as she threw a shuriken at the Orc about to kill Gimli from behind. “I’m jumping off now Boromir-san!”

The man simply nodded in assent as Hina went to Gimli’s aid. She was glad for once that someone didn’t question her ability. Boromir’s confidence in her was refreshing.

“That one didn’t count!” Gimli replied angrily. “You distracted me.”

“Thirty-two,” Hina said cordially as she once again killed an Orc coming her way.

“Thirty-two!” Gimli exclaimed in disbelief before he slayed another Warg with a nearby spear. 

“She has us beat,” Legolas added in, before shooting down three Wargs at once like a true show-off.

Hina didn’t try to hide the shit eating grin on her face as they took on the hordes of enemies together like a well-oiled machine. She’d missed working with a team. With nostalgia in mind she decides to pull out her ninjutsu. She’d reserved enough chakra to make a terrifying show for her enemies. They would learn to fear messing with her. Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger

Fire Release: Flame Bullet!

Hina began spitting blue balls of intense fire at her enemies, the heat enough to catch their cloaks on fire and to melt the metal even mildly to their skin. She wasn’t a ninjutsu-taijutsu specialist for no reason. Her near perfect combination of the two made her a challenge to fight head on for any Shinobi, let alone disgusting, smelly, and terribly hideous Orcs… and no she wasn’t racist… not at all.

“Arrggh! I’ll catch up!” Gimli exclaimed in irritation as he tried harder to kill more Orcs.

Eventually though it became almost boring. Once their numbers had dwindled down and it was a matter of killing all stragglers and fleers (which Hina did easily and without much effort) it felt like even the people of Rohan didn’t need her help. In the end she’d won though and that’s all that mattered.

“Forty-two lads,” she said with a victorious grin. “Bet you can’t beat that!”

“You had an early start,” Legolas pointed out.

“This battle doesn’t count,” Gimli agreed.

“You’re just sore losers. Not my fault you cannot admit my sheer awesomeness. I’m going to gloat to Aragorn now and make him admit I’m the best,” Hina replied with exaggerated haughtiness. 

She turned to the battlefield and looked around in confusion. She couldn’t smell Aragorn. For a moment she wondered if all the stinking Orcs had covered up his scent, but the more she looked around the more it became apparent that he wasn’t there.

“A-Aragorn?!” she asked, twisting around a dead body nearby. “ARAGORN!”

Her cries seemed to turn the attention of the remaining men to the battlefield. Legolas came by her and then rushed off into the distance to pick up something. Hina ran up beside him to see Aragorn’s necklace and she began to worry… had he died somehow? No, it was too early for any death… but this wasn’t a story, and she knew it. People she hadn’t expected to die early did in the Elemental nations. The same could happen here, and it was beginning to make her heart drop.

“Hehehehehe,” an Orc laughed.

Gimli pointed an axe to the dirty creature’s throat. “Tell me what happened, and I will ease your passing.”

“He’s—” the Orc began before he started coughing, “dead. Took a little tumble off the cliff.”

“No, you lie!” Legolas said angrily as he grabbed the Orc by the neck, only to watch him die before he could question him further.

“It can’t be,” Boromir said angrily as he clenched his fists.

Hina rushed to the cliff edge and looked down to see a steep jagged drop. She couldn’t tell how deep or shallow the river was, and if it was shallow, she feared for what she would find. But she had to know. She could smell his blood and that wasn’t helping either, but some part of her needed to see a dead cold body before she gave up hope.

“He isn’t dead,” Hina hissed as she made to jump, only for Boromir to hold her back.

“Don’t die with him,” the man said, voice cracking in worry.

“Let go of me! He isn’t dead!”

Hina had never used her chakra enhanced strength on any of the Fellowship members before, but she did then as she threw Boromir away in frantic worry. Then without another word she ran down the vertical surface and then jumped onto the water's surface before diving into the water. To her relief she found that it was deep here, and there was no body. She came back up and ignored the worried calls from her friends as she pulled herself onto the water's surface and began running down the river.

Hina cursed her nose as Aragorn’s scent had clearly washed away. Kami knows she’d told him to take a bath a million times before, but now when she needed him to stink to high heavens, he was clean. She felt a little hysterical at the thought as she continued to track down the river for about an hour against the raging waters until she saw a figure laying face up.

“Aragorn!”         

She grabbed the man and pulled him out of the cold waters, not struggling to carry his weight, but to put him in a position where his wounds wouldn’t be jostled. She ran further downstream knowing she needed to do a more thorough check up on him before drying him lest he wanted to catch a cold or pneumonia. And she did get him there quickly.

“Arwen,” he mumbled.

Hina looked down in relief but was a little confused as to why he was looking at her and seeing his lover. Still it was good to know he was awake at least.

“Not Arwen, although I’m definitely pretty enough to be mistaken,” she laughed jokingly, although her laugh choked up with a worried emotion.

“H-Hina?”

Hina was relieved to see his deep blue eyes looking back at her in awareness. He noted she was carrying him but was too tired to really talk. Hina dropped him gently by the riverbed and went through her own personal hand seals for an instant hair drying jutsu she had created. It warmed the man up quickly and expertly until he was back to a stable temperature.

“Well, it seems like I got to pay you back for pulling me out of a river,” Hina mused as she pushed his hair out of his face gently.

Aragorn smiled weakly and Hina grimaced as she realised she’d used up a lot of chakra. She’d need to use more to both carry Aragorn while defending against any potential attacks on the road would be too much for even her… and she wasn’t keen to use her last soldier pill yet either. 

As if the heavens heard her worries a deep brown horse rushed in and Hina gaped. This was too good to be true right?

“What the fuck?” she mumbled.

“Language”

“If you have the energy to scold me, you’ll have the energy to tell me how this is possible.”

“I freed him, and he came to me in my time of need,” Aragorn breathed out weakly.

“That explains literally nothing, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?” Hina laughed at her own stupid joke.

It was time to use Boromir’s lessons… although she wasn’t confident in her skills yet. She figured this animal could get them back on its own if it could somehow sniff out Aragorn after an age long bath. She put the wounded man on its back before taking a seat in front of him. The horse listened to her, much to her relief, and had a keen sense for direction. She wondered if something or someone was guiding its step because it rode with more purpose than a horse should ever have.

“We can stop under the cover of nightfall,” Hina said.

She noticed that Aragorn had already let himself fall to unconsciousness on her back but was glad his arms were around her waist tightly. Even unconscious he wasn’t making himself a nuisance she mused.

“You’re a real lifesaver, you know that horsey,” she said, rubbing its neck.

The horse threw its head back and neighed, almost as if to show how proud it was. At least it hadn’t whacked her face like Ruilan had, she mused with a smile. She just hoped Aragorn hadn’t sustained any serious injuries, because while she knew how to heal someone the good old traditional way, she had no idea how to fix injuries like an Iryo-nin did. 

She would have kept riding in silence if she hadn’t caught wind of the foul smell of Orcs. She quickly took the reins and prayed to whatever god was up there that this horse would listen to her, because she changed its directions. After a moment of protest it decided to comply with her worded pleas, and they moved to the mountain peak. The sight before her was terrifying to say the least. Hina had been in war before, but it seemed the population differences between the Elemental Nations and Middle-Earth was on another level. What she saw was ten thousand or so Orcs. It was unbelievable. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the sheer chaos that would have been unleashed back in her home world if this was how many Shinobi fought at once.

“These are grave findings,” Aragorn whispered tiredly behind her.

“Good time to wake up,” she mumbled sarcastically. “Go back to sleep. You’ll need the rest to recover.”

“After a sight like that, it would be impossible.”

Despite what Aragorn said, he did pass out again. Hina made sure not to move him more than he needed to be, and only manhandled him when the sun had set, and they needed to make camp. She jumped off the horse first before coaxing the leaning man to the side and awkwardly carried him bridal style towards the base of a tree. She placed him down gently before putting her cloak behind him as a kind of prop pillow.

“What did I do to deserve such gentle caring from you,” Aragorn asked with a smile.

Hina wondered who had cursed her. Of course he woke up in the most embarrassing moment possible, when she was tucking him into bed like an overly fond mother. 

“This is payback for all the times you’ve stripped and dressed my wounds,” Hina retorted playfully as she unhooked his Elven cloak, and then began unbuttoning his shirt. “You look normal for a man so shy about his body.”

“I’m not shy,” he grumbled.

“Well then you Men of the West need to rethink the word. You never get into any rivers with me unless you’re falling into your doom. Why, the concept of bathing seems so foreign to you is beyond me.”

In truth she was only teasing to help get Aragorn’s mind off her probing his bruised chest. She was relieved when she didn’t find any broken bones in her thorough search of his chest. So then she went about cleaning and bandaging the rather large gash on his arm. She pulled out a bottle of alcohol and he raised a brow her way as if to ask where the heck she had procured it. Rolling her eyes, she didn’t deign him with an answer before she poured it on his wounds and then wiped away the blood.

“Didn’t know alcohol could be used for that… are you sure you know what you’re doing?” he asked.

“Hmm not like I got a masters in biochemistry and worked under a leading scientist in the field of body modification and scientific mutation… yup not at all qualified to treat minor wounds,” Hina replied sarcastically.

“In my defence I’ve never heard of such titles,” Aragorn pointed out.

Hina just smiled innocently as she tied the bandage a little too tightly, earning a hiss from the man. He snorted at her little revenge for questioning her, but he didn’t expect her to sit next to him, lean up against the tree and steal part of his cloak to snuggle up next to him. It struck him then how much Hina had grown to trust him. He’d known her to be too headstrong and independent… well that was unless she was under the thrall of Elven magic, but when she was in her right mind, she often kept to herself, preferring little contact that a child her age should want. To know she had given him this silent trust was warming.

“I’ve never seen an army that big,” Hina admitted to him.

Aragorn hadn’t missed the slightly raised pitch in her voice, despite how otherwise calm and collected she sounded. He was once again reminded of how small she was next to him—how someone so young and green to this world should not be going to war.

“You said you’ve seen war before,” he noted tersely.

“Yeah, but there weren’t this many people back home. At most you’d have a thousand at a time, but even that’s big for us. Shinobi are specialised and hard to train up so there aren’t many of us.”

Aragorn found it hard pressed to understand the workings of a society run by warrior-wizards. It was such a foreign concept… but he’d come to hate what he knew of it. He’d seen the haunted look in her eyes, far too old for her age, and full of pain that had twisted into something ugly.

“This isn’t your war, Hina. You should not stay to fight,” Aragorn said.

“And leave Gimli and Legolas to beat my score,” she huffed, trying to play it off as a joke.

“Why do you fight?” Aragorn continued sombrely, not allowing her to deflect like she usually did. “You could go home any time, and yet you tremble at the very thought. What frightens you of that place, that you would rather stay here to fight against the forces of Sauron rather than to return?”

The girl went silent next to him and he swore he felt her shiver. She looked up as if contemplating what to say, and he half expected to hear nothing, but then she spoke.

“It’s a long tale… and once you hear it, you’ll see me for who I truly am,” she said, hiding her face from his view.

“And I will not judge. You have my word.”

When she finally met his eyes the conflict in her expression was heavy, but eventually she nodded, and she frowned at her trembling hands, as if she was beginning to hate herself. He had not expected such a defeated expression from someone so usually energetic and full of humour.

“When I was five the 3^rd Great Shinobi War broke out,” she began sombrely. “I signed up for the Academy because I had no choice in the matter. When I was born, I was set to die due to a spiritual imbalance in my chakra, but a Shinobi Clan raised me and in return I paid with my service.”

Aragorn was caught off-guard by the admittance. He was beginning to hate this world she spoke of more. To force a child just out of toddlerhood, one that should at that age barely know the ways of the world, into such a position—he could scarcely imagine being thrown into fighting and war so young.

“I didn’t mind. I wanted to be a Shinobi either way. It was the quickest way to branch off to be a… scholar. Then my motives changed when the war hit. My family were bakers, and we’d already been in debt before, and this war would ruin us financially… so I decided my job would pay for it. I trained hard and graduated as the second youngest student ever at the age of six. Then three months later I went to war.”

There was something deeply unsettling about imagining a girl barely at the height of his knees running off into war of all things, and yet he could in fact imagine it after he’d seen her magic.

“I’m a rarity where I’m from… There has only been one other child my age to have graduated so young and he was a close friend of mine. He had a sensei—teacher—who was a war hero while I was taught by a Jounin—a high rank warrior but no one of note. Because of this, a shadow army set their sights on obtaining me for their ranks… ROOT.”

Aragorn had never heard so much hate uttered for a word, and he felt the way she briefly stiffened at the thought itself. He listened quietly as she got lost in her memories.

“The leader Danzo—”

He remembered hearing her tell him she’d killed him when she was drunk on Elven magic in Rivendell.

“—branded me with a seal on my tongue. It bonded me to secrecy and to his service.”

“You were made a slave?” Aragorn interrupted for the first time in disgust.

Hina smiled wearily at that, but she continued with a nod. “We weren’t called slaves but that was what we essentially were. They would steal children and break them until they were nothing but tools. No emotions, no love, no bonds—only the mission. We were assigned partners who we would inevitably grow close to and then we would be tested by being ordered to kill them.”

Aragorn felt a rising heat in his chest. He feared for what he would hear next, for what kind of torture they had forced upon innocent children… upon Hina.

“I never broke to their beatings or indoctrination, and in my anger, I killed a high-ranking member. Danzo sent me away to work under a man named Orochimaru, who worked for him in ROOT. Orochimaru is extremely strong… and he helped me become stronger in exchange for my service—”

The girl paused beside him as if struggling to find the words to speak.

“I did many horrible things under him because it was better than being tormented by ROOT and they were threatening my family. My mother was pregnant at the time with my baby brother, and so no matter how vile the task I accomplished it. Many innocent people have died by these hands, and I grew to find pleasure in battle, but I still remained defiant. As a final blow to my disobedience Danzo ordered me to kill my own parents lest my brothers die too by his hands.”

Aragorn shut his eyes and clenched his jaw. What was this madness? This cruelty… it was almost unheard of.

“I..I did it… I killed them… and then he sent me away to break me again, only this time he nearly succeeded. Orochimaru kept me from disappearing into ROOT base and my brothers kept me afloat and so I continued to be obedient, biding my time until the day came where in one fell swoop, I activated the seal on the tongue of every ROOT agent. My partner had died, and there was nothing left to stop me. So my master and I killed Danzo, and our Village leader took pity on me and let me go.”

Hina paused and then for a moment she looked wistful almost, like she had experienced a glimmer of hope only for it to be ripped away from her.

"After that, things looked good. The war finally ended when I was 12 and it seemed like I could move on with my life, but I had accepted these markings from Orochimaru and accepted him as my master... I had done terrible things for him after all. But I couldn't allow him to become village leader and so I helped appoint an honourable man, who would then ask me to leave my village marked as a traitor to catch my master. I agreed. It was only meant to be a few months' job."

He knew instantly it wasn’t, and he felt sick at the thought. "How long have you been with him alone... this man who no doubt gave you this curse?" Aragorn asked, unable to hide his anger as he touched her neck.

"A year and a half now," she whispered, shutting her eyes tightly. "In that time I have been twisted from my humanity, and kept away from anything good, but for good reason. He's working with a group that is... similar to Sauron in a way. They are strong and if they continue thousands will die and so I remain to act as a spy... but I fear any more time there will irrevocably change me. Even this body you see me in—it hasn't grown. It won’t grow unless I force it to. I'm not even human anymore... just some twisted experiment for a madman I swore my life to in time of need."

Aragorn didn’t like the dark look of self-loathing that came about her. He squeezed her shoulder in reassurance before shaking his head in disagreement. 

"You cry and you laugh and you're the most loyal person I've met Hina," Aragorn disagreed with her gently. "You're not some twisted creature, not the victim to some bigger man. You're a soldier who sacrificed her life for the lives of others. You're someone willing to live in torture for the sake of your family. Is that something a selfish creature would do?"

Her eyes were wide as they looked directly into his. She put her palm on her forehead and chuckled. He mused that maybe she laughed because she couldn't cry, not because she found humour in everything like he had thought earlier.

"My first sensei told me 'take your failures like you take your victories', and I promised a friend that I wouldn't hate myself for everything. Sometimes I just need a reminder," she whispered. "Who I'm fighting for."

He let her thoughts linger on the positive. Her story had shaken him to his core, and what was worse was that he knew she had only given him the smallest taste of the horrors she had been through. He could see the seal on her neck, and he hated it. It felt like she had gone from being the slave of one man to the slave of another. Orochimaru was so far beyond his reach that Aragorn knew even if he could somehow kill this man, he wouldn't even have the opportunity to. But he'd seen how powerful Hina was and to imagine a man stronger than even her was hard to comprehend. 

Hina paused as if realising she had just given away more than she’d ever intended, and Aragorn had to admit it was a long and terrible tale. He could understand full well why she’d latched onto their group now, and why she so readily accepted fighting a war that wasn’t hers, in place of going home. He put his arms around her and pulled her in.

“You can rest now. There’s no need for you to fight here,” he whispered.

“Fighting’s all I’m good for.”

“No. Who would liven our spirits with beautiful flute music if you weren’t around?” Aragorn joked. 

Hina laughed at that, relaxing a little against him. “Yup, what better bard will you have than me? Your life would be songless.”

“Take some rest, little one. I will take the first watch,” Aragorn said.

“Hmm ok,” she yawned before she closed her eyes and slowly drowsed to the hum of a foreign Elven melody. For once she didn't protest his order.

They began travelling again in the early hours of the morning when the sun had barely risen above the hilltops. Hina was grateful for this almost regal horse as they made their long journey over the hill Plains of Rohirrim. 

Eventually they came upon Helms deep and Hina marvelled at the sight. She could suddenly understand why this fortification was looked upon highly. The Plains around it were marshy and would be hard to fight in for the enemy, and its ring-like walls were thick and sturdy with good defences. The large rocky mountain behind it though was something she wasn't too sure about. It would no doubt come with its pros and cons.

"You're a lifesaver," Hina told the horse with a sigh of relief as she urged it forward again.

“Mae carnen, Brego, mellon nîn (Well done, Brego, my friend),” Aragorn agreed as he thanked the horse before he turned his attention to the keep. “We will have to give word to the King.”

“I doubt we’d have the forces to match,” Hina muttered.

“We don’t, but we have to believe the defences will hold.”

“What about gathering forces from Gondor?” Hina asked, wondering if it was even feasible at this stage.

“…It is possible.”

Aragorn was unsure about that suggestion. It had been a long time since Gondor and the Rohan had fought together in anything but border scuffles with Orcs. From what Hina could see, Sauron’s forces were greater in number, and Orcs weren’t exactly the easiest people to fight without the added disadvantage of fear at their disgusting, gnarled appearance. They brought with them fear and weakness. The name Sauron itself seemed to be taboo.

She didn’t press for more until they reached into Helms deep and the refugees muttered in wonder at them coming back alive. Once they were in Hina jumped off and helped Aragorn down from his horse. Before she could ask where the King was, she heard Gimli off in the distance.

“Where is he? Where is he? Get out of the way. I’m gonna kill him!” Gimli shouted angrily as he stumbled through the crowd. His expression softened almost immediately and turned to relief when he saw Aragorn. “You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew! Bless you, laddie!”

Aragorn returned the Dwarves hug who then quickly pulled away to grab Hina in a tighter and even more thankful hug than the careful one he had afforded the Dúnedain. Hina laughed and hit his back.

“Gimli, where is the king?” Aragorn asked, getting back on topic.

“At the hall. Come on then,” he gestures.

They made haste through the peasant crowd, and Hina noticed the looks of respect being thrown their way by the people. She supposed seeing more seasoned warriors might put their troubled hearts at ease. Her own heart was happier when she saw both Legolas and Boromir outside waiting for them. 

“Le ab-dollen. (You’re late),” Legolas said with a smile, before he took Aragorn’s hands and gave him the Evenstar pendant.  

Aragorn felt immeasurably grateful to have it back. He’d panicked silently after having realised it wasn’t hanging on his neck. He had only kept silent because he had bigger fears at the moment.

“Hannon le. (Thank you),” he thanked the Elf with sincerity.

“Just don’t go falling off cliffs next time,” Boromir sighed. “Hina won’t be around to jump down after you all the time.”

“She what?” he asked in alarm.

“Don’t exaggerate, I ran down the side of the cliff. Jumping down that length would cost me too much chakra… and you best bet to not test fate or I might jump on after you Boromir-san,” Hina grinned.

“There wouldn’t be a need to, I’m not that clumsy,” Boromir replied with a smile as he put his hands on the girl’s back and turned towards the Hall. They had business and while Aragorn’s return was a relief, work they still had left to do.

“Stand aside guards, we have business with the King,” Boromir said sternly.

The guards complied after noticing who they were in the presence of. Hina wondered when her life had gotten so crazy that she was considered important enough to be let in on the big boys table. There were Kings and Nobility and Princes in her midst, and she was just the daughter of a baker. She supposed life was never so easy to predict.

“Théoden King,” Aragorn greeted.

“You are alive! This is fortuitous news.”

“I do not bring fortuitous news,” Aragorn said as he shook his head with pressed lips. The smile quickly fades from the King’s face and he nods for Aragorn to continue. 

“We saw a great host of Uruk-hai making march not a day away,” Aragorn warned.

“A great host, you say?” the King asked.

“By the looks of it all of Isengard is on their way,” Hina supplied with a frown.

“How many?”

“Ten thousand strong at least,” Aragorn replied.

The King turned around in a display of shock Hina couldn’t fault him for. “Ten thousand?!”

“It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of men. They will be here by nightfall.”

Hina didn’t know whether it was fool’s courage or some greater plan the King had in mind that had him turn his heel and dare them to come. He seemed agitated and they followed after him… well Aragorn mostly did. Hina wasn’t so sure she’d be welcome input in this coming conversation.

The King turned to Gamling. “I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall.”

He finally stopped at the stands of the gate at Helm’s Deep, and he turned his solemn gaze to their group.

“We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall or set foot inside the Hornburg.”

Hina didn’t really want to experience a siege. That was beyond her expertise in dealing with. Shinobi did not do sieges. It was unheard of.

“This is no rabble of mindless Orcs. These are Uruk-hai. Their armour is thick and their shields broad!” Gimli exclaimed in irritation. 

“I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep,” the King replied as if Gimli’s input was invalid.

Hina felt sympathy for Gimli’s irritation at being dismissed so easily. Not a few days ago this supposed King who ‘knew how to defend his keep’ had fallen under the thrall of Saruman, allowed his country to wilt in power, ordered the exile of his own nephew, and was overall someone who’d made terrible decisions. Hina wasn’t so sure this King knew how to ‘defend his keep’ like he proclaimed to. She would have preferred to have had him assassinated and appoint Éomer in his stead. From what she’d seen of him so far, he felt like a head-on kind of commander, and Rohan needed that strength right now.

“Don’t worry I agree with you,” Hina whispered conspiratorially at Gimli who just grunted in agreement.

“They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman’s hordes will pillage and burn, we’ve seen it before. Crops can be resown; homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them.”

“They do not come to destroy Rohan’s crops or villages. They come to destroy its people. Down to the last child!” Aragorn warned.

The King turned to Aragorn, stopping the group in their tracks. “What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance.”

“Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid!” Aragorn appealed. 

“And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead,” Théoden countered. 

“Gondor will answer,” Aragorn replied.

“Gondor? Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon… – No, my lord Aragorn, we are alone.”

“King Theoden is right. Gondor is too entrenched in war from all fronts by the Corsairs,” Boromir interjected with a frown marring his face. “But know this my lord, you will have the aid of Boromir son of Denethor. The alliances of old may yet be called upon!”

Théoden paused at Boromir’s conviction, as if for a moment he did wonder if Gondor would come to their aid… but it was too late. He feared they wouldn’t survive the night, let alone wait four days for the arrival of another army.

“It may yet be Boromir… but I fear it will not be today,” he said before turning to his guards. “Get the women and children into the caves!”

“We need more time to lay provisions for a siege, lord—” Hama began.

 “—There is no time. War is upon us!”

Hina noticed her team hold their faces in defeat and turn around as if to catch their breath. They’re just as frustrated as she is by the King, but Aragorn looked East as if expecting something, and she figured Gandalf would not have left at such an urgent time just to go for a trip to the hair salon to keep his whites glowing. But as much as magic fascinated her, she’d rather not leave it up to magic yet.

“Gamling-san,” she calls out to one of the Captain guards.

“Yes?” the man asked.

“I know this might sound crazy, but I need all the paper and ink you can give me. I have a brush on me so that should be fine,” she said.

Gamling turned to the group with a raised brow, wondering why a child would be asking for such resources at these perilous times. He relented when Aragorn nodded his way to confirm the request.

“Do as she says Gamling. She has a way with magic in the form of runes,” Aragorn said.

“Of course. I trust this will be important.”

“Oh yes! Expect explosions! A lot of explosions!” Hina laughed evilly as she grabbed both her blood bank (Legolas) and Gamling as she ran towards her precious paper.

If there was ever a good time for explosions, it was now!

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 9

Hina was right in assuming that Elf-blood made for potent ink. She’d pricked Legolas’s finger to test one tag just outside the walls and it had made a particularly beautiful explosion. Said Elf wasn’t eager to take part in ‘blood magic’ as he put it, but Hina rolled her eyes at his suspicion.

“Legolas-san, your faith in me is astounding! You know there is no dark magic in my lands. No light magic either mind you. It’s not even magic if I’m getting technical… Anyway, the point remains that it’s not dark magic. There’s no cost to your soul or anything. Elves just happen to have a good deal of natural chakra in their blood,” she explained patiently.

“Wouldn’t you have chakra too?” he asked.

“I would, but I’ve never had large pools to begin with, so my seals were always weak, and my cursed seal isn’t making it any better. Seals don’t need blood, but it’s easier to give blood than it is to mould chakra into it to create it. I don’t want to use my chakra just yet. I only need a cup’s worth. Come on, think of the lives you’ll save.”

“Ok… I trust in your judgement,” he finally relented.

Hina felt her hands cramp up but continued anyway. She had explained her plans to the King who saw no reason to say no to her. He had everything to gain in this scenario and it wasn't like Hina could contribute to preparation when she hardly knew how logistics and weaponry preparation worked in this world. So she had taken a seat in the great Hall and made the corner of one of the long dining tables hers for her own preparation. They didn't have as much paper as she'd hoped for, but she had quite a lot sealed away from the Elves too and now felt as good as any time to begin. 

She mixed Legolas's blood in with her ink and began the careful process of printing perfect seals onto tags as small as she could go. Their size didn't matter as much as the quality did, but good strokes demanded a decent size for the paper. Also if she wanted to make it mud and waterproof, she had to put in a bit more thought into the structural sequence she inscribed. Soon she had a whole 5 stacks besides her. 

She thought that they were very lucky to have such a wonderful, awesome, smart, and beautiful ally such as her by their side. While explosive tags were easy to make, the specific brand of explosive tag she was creating was not. A normal explosive tag with a few months could be learnt by most people with an above average IQ, however just like anything there was the basics and then there was the advanced version. What she was making could be considered rather overpowered. Most explosive tags worked by activating it on contact, and so it could only be used one at a time like a thrown bomb. Hers were much more superior than that. It was a trigger tag, akin to a chain bomb one could activate with a trigger. Binding a trigger so far away from another seal was indeed advanced. She needed to make the seals explode while she was a good 700 meters away from them. That was no easy task, and neither was it easy to bind one trigger to multiple tags. So to split the stacks she made one trigger seal for about 30 explosive tags. 

No one had disturbed her until Éowyn decided to. But it was a welcome distraction with food.

"I made some stew," she said gently, coaxing Hina out of her trance-like state. "If you are to go into battle it should not be on an empty stomach."

"Arigato Éowyn-san," she replied, mind still only halfway into reality. Then she realised she hadn't called Éowyn by her proper title and backtracked. "Ah gomen—I mean sorry. Lady Éowyn, you caught me distracted."

"It's not an issue. I hear you address everyone with 'san'. What does it mean in your language?"

"Closest thing in Westron would mean ‘Mr’ or ‘Mrs’... but it is a suffix used in respect usually for older folk," Hina explained with a contemplative look.

"Ah, no gender differentiation. Your culture is fascinating."

"Oh there is a gender differentiation for less formal greetings such as ‘chan’ for girls and ‘kun’ for boys. Anyway, thanks for the meal!"

"It's my pleasure. Although I admit, I came to ask what all this paper and writing is for?"

"It’s called Fuinjutsu where I'm from. It's the art of sealing… or I guess for you runes. Right now I am sealing energy into this paper and later when I activate it you can expect some explosions."

"Amazing. If we weren't so cut short on time I would have asked for some lessons," Éowyn replied in apt interest.

Hina laughed and nodded, although she doubted she'd ever have the time to sit down and teach anyone such a time-consuming art like Fuinjutsu, especially someone who didn't even know her Kanji system and whatever level of basic maths was taught here. 

"Although you make me wonder, Hina-san," Éowyn began. "What our world has come to that boys and girls should go to battle, and where we women would sit back and resort to prayers."

"I have no doubt Aragorn is thinking of ordering me to stay back from the action, but I don't have any masters in this world. No one can hold me back here," Hina replied with a naughty grin.

"You would disobey his wishes?"

"I'd rather die than lose one of my comrades again," she replied with a stony expression. "I know it may seem dangerous for someone young like me to run into battle, but I assure you Lady Éowyn, that you have not seen me fight."

The Lady didn’t seem all that sold either way. Hina supposed it made sense. Sending young teenagers out into battle wasn’t something these people did lightly. She was around the age back in the Elemental Nations where people would not blink an eye to her going out to fight. She was fourteen now and while that was still at the young end, everyone usually started their careers around twelve. Child labour aside, she would have been treated like any other solider, but here it was not the case. Fourteen was still too young for battle, and she supposed the standard age for war here was around seventeen or eighteen at youngest. But Helm’s Deep was in a tight spot and she’d seen some teenage boys getting prepared for battle. 

“I suppose I will have to trust Aragorn’s judgement,” she relented.

Hina had seen the way Éowyn looked at Aragorn. She felt a little sympathetic towards the woman. Aragorn had a hot Elf woman back home who Hina knew in her heart wouldn’t travel to the undying lands. Love had a way of doing that to people—forcing them from making the illogical choice. Hina knew she would die for her family and friends, and when it came to them her thoughts seemed less rational and more irrational. 

“I’ve kept you from your meal. Do eat it before it becomes cold.”

Hina nodded and watched as the Lady left her. She turned to the soup and ate a bite before nearly spitting it out. She hadn’t looked down at it before, but she regretted it when she did. Was Éowyn trying to poison her or was she just that terrible at cooking? She was about to put it away when Éowyn turned to smile at her and Hina took another spoonful into her mouth for show. She quickly spat it back into the plate before discreetly putting it behind her chair on the floor. She’d rather starve.

“Well time to get back to work,” she mumbled as she cracked her wrists.

There was something just very relaxing about digging holes, Hina decided. If all else failed in her life she’d retire as a gravedigger and live out the rest of her life in a cemetery somewhere… well that was definitely an option for retirement… if she made it long enough to retire at all.

“I feel like a farmer,” Boromir huffed.

“Don’t complain when you volunteered to come out here,” Hina replied, rolling her eyes.

“To keep you out of trouble… not to dig holes,” Boromir retorted despite continuing his digging.

“Come on we only have about… hmm 500 meters worth left,” she chuckled.

Then they got about digging more holes and putting the tags in the ground in even intervals. They’d started a bit further down and then placed the other line closer to the walls. Hina supposed that blowing up the middle of the ranks would make it harder for those in the back to know if other explosions would happen and keep them on edge. She almost couldn’t wait to see the fireworks of blood and limbs even though the sane part of her mind berated her for enjoying such a bloodbath.

Eventually they finished their work and made their way back to the walls. Hina and Boromir made their way to the armoury. 

“Some chainmail would do you good,” Boromir noted.

“I like to fight lightly armoured, or it would hinder my speed,” Hina refused politely.

“I still do not like that you go in those light clothes of yours,” Boromir frowned.

“I have the armour I wear now, and it is all I need,” she cut him off with a frown. 

She entered the armoury to find boys about her age grabbing swords too. Old men as well and people she thought looked way too scrawny and confused to be effective out there in battle against an army bred for the sole purpose of war. Was this a losing battle?

“How go the traps?” Aragorn asked.

“All ready and prepped,” Hina replied, raising up a little proudly at her work. 

If she had a week to prepare, she could have done so much more, although she would have probably died from chakra exhaustion too. Still it almost felt impossible to do anything against such a large force. Apparently looking around Boromir had the same idea about what he saw that she did. 

“These are not warriors,” he said worriedly.

“Farmer, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers,” Aragorn agreed.

“Most have seen too many winters,” Gimli said, shaking his head.

“Or too few. Look at them. They’re frightened. I can see it in their eyes.” Legolas added with the most worried look Hina had ever seen on him before he turned to Aragorn. “Boe a hûn: neled herain dan caer menig! (And they should be... Three hundred against ten thousand!)”

“Si beriathar hýn. Amar nâ ned Edoras.  (They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras),” Aragorn retorted.

“Aragorn, men indagor. Hýn úortheri. Natha daged aen! (Aragorn, we are warriors. They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!)”

“Then I shall die as one of them!” Aragorn snapped angrily.

Hina didn’t need to understand Sindarin to know exactly what Legolas had argued with Aragorn for. This was a losing battle no matter how anyone looked at it. Before the Elf could go after Aragorn, Hina held him back and shook her head. When you were as frustrated as Legolas was, it was best not to add that frustration onto someone else’s shoulder too. 

“Let him go, lad. Let him be,” Gimli says in agreement to Hina’s silent refusal to let Legolas go.

“Just a reminder,” Hina began catching everyone’s attention, “that our White Wizard isn’t on a vacation right now. I’m sure he’ll be back to help us somehow win this war.”

“A good reminder indeed,” Boromir agreed. “Gandalf would not have abandoned us at such a time without a plan. We will hope yet.”

Hina smiled at the man. Yes, hope—a thing so easily forgotten and so easily regained. She was glad Boromir had found it again. It was as if Aragorn’s very existence had given him back some form of hope now that he approved of him as future King. He no doubt could taste the change in the air of some greater destiny, and it had changed his previously fatalistic disposition entirely. Hina was more than glad she was here to have seen him saved, if only to see him stand tall like this. It only felt right for such a strong man like him.

“You are right,” Legolas sighed. “Come, there are still some preparations to be had.”

“Hai, war is no fun and all work,” Hina agreed.

Hina tied back on her own armour and put on her person the remainder of all her traditional weaponry, and even the large shuriken and string she only pulled out when absolutely necessary. She hadn’t used said weapon in a long time, but it was always good in a large-scale battle, especially when used with a modicum of strategy. It could be used to confuse and scare, as well as bring upon the enemy a sudden and very quick death. She admitted she got most of her ideas from Kushimaru. The lanky Swordsman of the Mist had become a dear demented friend of hers, although his actions had hurt Guy deeply. She could not fault him for listening to orders or for killing an enemy Shinobi, even if that enemy was Guy’s father. That was the nature of their work. She had killed many fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, and lovers on orders.

Still, as she looked at the frightened children in all respects around her, she was reminded once again of the differences of their worlds. These were civilians, not Shinobi. They had not yet been tested in the blood of war or had their taste of death by steel.

“It’s ok to be afraid,” she told the boy next to her, who was startled out of his no doubt fatalistic thoughts. “Fear is a good way to keep you on your toes and to keep you alive. But you should never freeze in fear, only use that fear to keep yourself aware.”

To his credit the boy didn’t ask her how exactly she knew of such things. Her green hair and odd features had already established her as an easily identifiable member of the odd group that came to their aid, and she had already proven herself in battle to them.

“But I have no experience in war. I fear I will die even if my fear keeps me on my toes,” the boy said with trembling lips.

“I feel you there. I had the same thoughts the first time I went off to war and yet here I am alive and well,” Hina replied with a grin. “Find someone here to watch your back, hopefully someone with some experience, and hold cover for them when they need it. Don’t charge in recklessly, instead aid where you can, how you can. That’s the only advice I can give you. In war you are not alone, you have a team and people by your side. Work with them and your chance for survival will increase.”

The boy nodded and he gave her a tentative smile for the first time since their conversation. He looked a little less like he was going to puke now, as if he had a goal in mind to achieve. That was always good. It was when you had nothing to do but wait for the inevitable that you lost the will to continue. Now he had himself some tasks to achieve.

“I don’t suppose I’ll be able to watch your back fair Lady?” he asked.

“Fair Lady?” Hina asked both in shock and amusement. She flicked her hair dramatically and grinned. “Oh yes I am fair. Prettier than most Elves wouldn’t you say.”

She was glad she had made him laugh. The sound of his laughter drew wary eyes in their direction, but the face of a laughing child always had a way to lighten the heart, and Hina could see the men relax slightly at the sight. One good thing in a sea of terrible events was always welcome.

“Yes, you are. The most beautiful thing I’ve seen in these terrible days,” he replied honestly, a little wryly too.

Hina hadn’t expected the genuine compliment and felt her face flush in embarrassment as she looked away. She had only joked about being as pretty as an Elf. She was pretty sure she wasn’t, but to have someone tell her she was, made her confidence falter and boost at the same time. Kami, she did not know how to take compliments on her looks. It was easy to laugh off compliments on her talents with an easy joke, but her looks—oh that brought out a shy side of her that she wanted to keep hidden away. 

“Ha! You sly talker,” she replied back with an embarrassed chuckle. “Keep your silver tongue for after the war and then we might celebrate together.”

“Haleth son of Hama,” he introduced himself. “You saved my father from a Warg.”

“Oh! Then you have someone to fight besides,” Hina reminded him.

He nodded determinedly. “Then I will see you again, fair lady, and we will celebrate once this is over.”

Hina had a feeling this shy blushing boy had somehow actually fallen for her. She didn’t regret talking to him, although she did wonder why she managed to always get a bunch of children crushing after her. First Guy and now Haleth. She supposed she should be flattered, although she didn’t really want anyone chasing after her when she didn’t have a heart to give away. It would just make them sad… but they were children and childhood crushes changed with the season, so it didn’t bother her too much.

“I look forward to it, Haleth son of Hama.”

She left him with a quick incline of the head, and she hoped beyond all hope that she would in fact see him past this war. It had been a while since she’d talked to anyone her physical age, and she had enjoyed it a great deal. She was a child at heart and soul despite her adult mind. It had been a while since she had come to realise the conflicting nature of her mind and soul, and that one had already matured to adulthood while the other hadn’t. She was both a child and an adult all at once, and while that would be confusing at first thought, she had come to accept the dichotomy between her mind and spirit. In a few years it would balance out and there would be no need for any confusion at all.

She made her way towards the higher ranked armoury and noticed Legolas had made up with Aragorn. She was glad. The Elf was right to worry of course, but Aragorn couldn’t and wouldn’t leave these people to their doom. 

“If we had more time, I’d get this adjusted,” Gimli said as he dropped the bundle of chain mail that landed with a loud clunk with its length hitting the floor. “It’s a little tight across the chest.” 

Hina let out a snort and the three men bit back their smiles of amusement better than she did. Gimli glared at her loss of composure, but their attention turned away from him when a horn sounded in the distance.                         

“That is no Orc horn!” Legolas exclaimed as he ran up the stairway.

Hina followed him out towards the battlements and when she looked down, she was surprised to see an army of Elven archers. They were indeed a sight to see after seeing the downtrodden forces of the humans, they looked extremely professional and organised in contrast. At their appearance both Legolas and Aragorn rushed down to greet the welcome sight. Hina, Boromir, and Gimli followed at a much less eager pace behind the two. 

The fanfare for the Elves return was a definite boost to morale. Hina could see the humans’ look of relief as more experienced fighters began ordering themselves by the walls ready to fight. Hina herself was a little relieved too. She didn’t know these humans too well, but for once there was a clear good guy and bad guy in battle, and that made the loss of any life feel all the more devastating. She knew people would die regardless of whether the Elves offered their help, but even then, it felt like a single life spared was worth it.

Hina took her place by Legolas and Gimli. Boromir had been positioned on the East end and he didn’t need help directing some of the forces. Hina however felt much better next to Gimli and Legolas, who she’d learnt to fight alongside. Plus she was sure Aragorn would be coming by here soon enough, and she could see Haleth close by. She wanted to make sure he’d make it through the night now.

“We could have picked a better spot,” Gimli groused, to which Hina mildly accepted.

While she was taller than the Dwarf, it wasn’t by much. She was only 4’7 and it had been a while since she’d taken her artificial growth hormones, so she hadn’t grown an inch since coming here. Orochimaru would ‘fix’ that the moment she came back. He had been moulding her into the perfect body after all… although she figured she was the prototype for what he intended to do once he got the perfect vassal.

“Well lad, whatever luck you live by, let’s hope it lasts the night,” Gimli said to Aragorn,

Hina turned to see the flood of Uruk-hai in the distance. They were lit in all their intimidating glory by the sparks of lightning that thundered through the sky. As if the heavens were mourning for the losses to come, rain dropped down into the wetlands below. Hina was just grateful she’d made her seals waterproof.

“Your friends are with you, Aragorn,” Legolas told the man on behalf of the Fellowship.

“Let’s hope they last the night,” Gimli muttered.

“Stick by me and you will,” Hina grinned.

“Ever the battle optimist aren’t you,” Gimli retorted with a smile of his own.

Hina only replied with a smile as the Orcs came marching up to them at an ever-increasing pace. She pulled out her trigger tags and waited with patience. She would explode the tags at the end first, and then once they eventually started to overwhelm near the entrance then she would trigger the tags closest to the walls. It would give them the time to recuperate. She was waiting for the order of the archers to begin her own assault. It came not ten minutes in. She heard Aragorn’s almost Kingly voice from behind the men.

“A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas! (Show them no mercy! For you shall receive none!)”

She had no idea what he was saying, but she didn’t need to know to feel the strength behind his voice. He was spurring them on. The opposite was happening with the Uruk-hai. Their leader stopped mid-way and let out a terrible roar as the army came to a halt.

“What’s happening out there?” Gimli asked.

“Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?” Legolas grins down at him.

To Hina’s surprise Gimli laughs heartily at that with no offence taken. She laughed as well, feeling almost like she was back in a three-man cell again. 

“Not to worry Gimli-san, I can tell you. The Uruk-hai have stopped. The battle is to start soon,” Hina said in anticipation.

The Uruk-hai began banging their spears to the ground in unison, grunts and snorts roaring into the army’s silence. Hina supposes it’s an intimidating sight. They’re beginning with a nice dose of fear. She grins at the thought of directing killing intent their way. She had a lot of that in spades. Genin usually fell from the feeling alone sometimes. She just really enjoyed killing people sometimes… although she didn’t want to admit it. The archers around her held out their bows in preparation. Hina grabbed her trigger tags eagerly. She knows someone will eventually snap and fire the first arrow and it soon happens.

The Uruk-hai stop their banging and then start growling in anger. The leader holds out his sword and screams and then the battle begins.

“Dartho! (Hold),” Aragorn ordered until the time comes to fire. “Tangado halad! (Prepare to fire!)”

The Elves notched their arrows and aimed down. 

“Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc,” Legolas shouted.

“Human speak please,” Hina grumbled at Legolas.

“Their armour is weak at the neck and beneath the arms,” he repeated, this time in Westron.

“Leithio i philinn! (Release the arrows!)” Aragorn shouted.

Hundreds of Uruk-hai were shot down in a single sweep but they continued on tirelessly. Hina waited, her fingers itching on the tag. One more second. One more… and then she activated it.

A loud chain of explosions ring across the fields as her tags utterly decimate whole ranks up the front. In the silence of shock at the explosions raining Orc body parts, her laugh almost echoed through the ranks, sending a chill down even the Uruk-hai’s spines. Hina made to cackle like a mad man before she realised that even her enchanted omamori isn’t enough to keep away such intense bloodlust from her. This wasn’t the worlds influence. This was entirely her.

While the Orcs were disoriented for a second, one explosion wasn’t enough to keep them grounded and they charged again. Hina struggled to wait until after the next volley of arrows before she activated the other 30 tags. The Uruk-hai scattered uncertainly at this invisible explosive enemy and in that moment Hina knew that they to feared death. It was a satisfying find, because it was an emotion she could use. They continue despite the chaos in their ranks, and one by one she activated the furthest explosive tags. The disarray she had put the orcs under kept them at bay for the next thirty minutes. But despite her terrifying show of power, hundreds upon hundreds more took the fallen places, and Hina realised she could only do so much in an already loosing battle. Maybe more could have been done if there were a hundred Shinobi to fight, but she was only one person.

“Remind me to get you more paper lass,” Gimli said after she activated the last tags to the back..

“Oh I feel like there’s not going to be much fun for longer. Once they pull in the ladders, I’ll activate the front-line explosives. After that we still have an army of at least 5000 to battle with…” Hina turned to the mismatched horror of farmers and village boys and grimaced.

If she screwed this up, she was going to cost more than a handful of lives. Everything depended on timing and her being able to calculate the distance from eye. She had made sure to know around where she had dug the seals, but it was hard to see even with her night vision when a hoard of dead Uruk-hai and countless more living ones were rushing in on top of her tags.

“Hold Hina!” Aragorn told her as he came by.

Hina waited, wetting her lips in anticipation, and waiting for his orders now. She was glad that he came by, with his sure-footed nature. Then to his credit he screamed ‘Now!’ in the exact moment she had predicted would be best to channel her chakra. She activated the trigger and two of the ladders exploded while mid-air, sending them flying back into the ranks below. She shouted in glee.

“All the tags are activated,” she informed Aragorn.

He slapped her back with an almost proud expression. “Now fall back Hina.”

Hina gaped up at him with a scowl. “No way! Let them come!”

“Aye the lass is in good hands Aragorn!” Gimli agreed.

“Leave her with us,” Legolas nodded.

Hina turned to see Aragorn hesitate, but he eventually nodded and then with a squeeze of her shoulder ran back to order his troops. Gimli rolled his shoulder and gripped his axe, while Legolas notched his bow. Hina took out the large shuriken on her back and laughed in anticipation.

“You suckers are going to be beat,” she proclaimed cockily to her two teammates.

“We’ll see yet!” Gimli grumbled as he embedded his axe in the head of an oncoming Uruk-hai. “One!”

Hina threw her Fūma Shuriken, strengthening it with chakra to cut through three Uruk-hai at once. With a quick pull of the near invisible chakra string back, it came back to her as she spun it around like a circular saw while she weaved beneath blows and cuts through any Orc brave enough to draw close to her. She dismembered a string of lost limbs and appendages in her wake, splatter of dark Orcish blood drenching her as she charged relentlessly. 

“Twelve!” she shouted back as she killed another one.

“Now that’s just showing off,” Gimli grunted.

“There’s time yet!” Legolas added in from behind the Dwarf as he let go of three arrows at once, all hitting their targets in the eye.

“Now who’s showing off?” Hina grumbled.

“I will have no pointy ear outscoring me!” Gimli shouted in anger as he swung his axe straight into an Uruk-hai’s balls.

Hina winced in sympathy for the poor twisted creature before she pulled her Fūma Shuriken back to her side. There were too many allies close by now to use it to its full effect, so she put it on her back before pulling out her kunai and jumping on the top of an Orc, wrapping her thighs around his head, and cracking it swiftly.

“Nineteen!” Legolas shouted.

“Twenty!” Hina replied petulantly as she threw a smaller shuriken into the eye of an Orc.

They continued on into the slaughter for another good five minutes before the Earth shook under her feet and Hina saw Haleth in the middle of the area of impact. She’d felt the tremor of shock before an explosion, and she could feel it in slow motion. Without a moment’s thought she activated her Wind Walker technique and in a gust of wind grabbed the boy and made it to the other side of the wall before the explosion took place. She stumbled mildly as she landed with the explosion to her back and found herself sprawled on top of the teen. 

“Fair Lady!”

“Hina—” she groused weakly.

“You saved me,” he mumbled.

“No time for thankyou’s Haleth-kun. On your feet,” she ordered, pulling him up before she grabbed the arm of an Orc to the left, twisting it behind his back before breaking the arm and then slamming the heel of her boots into his skull.

“Stay behind me Haleth-kun. Your promise hasn’t been fulfilled yet,” she said with a grin.

“Yes, my Lady!”

“Hina!”

“Hina!” he corrected.

“Come Haleth-kun, Aragorn needs our help!”

She grabbed the boy by his waist before jumping off in great height to where Aragorn lay from the blast. She dropped Haleth by the Elven warriors where she knew he would be safer and then she rushed to where Gimli was now fighting. Hina grabbed her Fūma Shuriken and began spinning it around like one would a rather large and deadly nun chuck. She cut through the many enemies in front of her, throwing and twisting the spinning wheel blade around with great dexterity.

To her surprise Aragorn brought out her shuriken tags, the ones she had gifted him in Bree and then he shouted orders to the Elven archers behind him. She ducked as a volley of arrows hit the Uruk-hai breaching the wall. Then when she got up next the army behind her was exploding limbs and she whooped in glee.

“That’s how you do it Aragorn-san!” she said happily as he used her tags. 

“Eyes on the field Hina,” he chided as he cut down an Orc behind her.

“Of course!”

Hina put away her Fūma Shuriken and pulled out her Elven blade as her allies came too close for her to use more devastating attacks. She didn’t want to resort to Ninjutsu now as she knew this battle would last a long while—a lot longer than the quick and brutal battles the Shinobi often fought. So she went on in front of Haleth, protecting the boy as best as she could as she devastated the Uruk-hai ranks with her indomitable speed. But she soon began to slow down, as Saruman’s army seemed almost endless as they flooded the area. Besides her Legolas had even resorted to using his blades, and Gimli was struggling to keep notice of all his sides.

“ARAGORN!” Théoden’s voice booms from above. “FALL BACK TO THE KEEP! GET YOUR MEN OUT OF THERE!”

“Na Barad! Na Baraad! Haldir, na Barad! (To the Keep! Pull back to the Keep! Haldir, to the Keep!)” Aragorn shouted.

“What are you doing? Argh! What are you stopping for!” Gimli grumbled as he was grabbed by Legolas and pulled away.

Hina grabbed Haleth up by his arms, the boy having fallen down sometime during the attack. It was hard for her to keep track. She watched as the Elf commander nodded and turned back, only to find himself cut down mid-order.

“HALDIR!!” Aragorn shouted as he ran up to Elf commanders’ side.

Hina cursed as she saw Aragorn kneel down so vulnerably in the middle of the battlefield. She urged Haleth forward. She needed to watch Aragorn’s back for now.

“Go now, Haleth-kun! I’ll be right back!”

“But my Lady!”

“Don’t Lady me! Go NOW!” Hina shouted as she ran to Aragorn’s side. 

Hina grabbed an arrow that would have otherwise hit the man and cut down another as Aragorn stood up and with a shout of anger. He lunged his sword to the side, cutting down an Orc, but was soon overrun on either end. Hina caught him by the arm and used the body flicker technique to get him behind the gate. Aragorn lurched forward at the intense speed of the action but to his credit was quickly pushed out of his awe and back into battle mode.

They ran towards the gates where a group of men were struggling to hold the orcs back. Hina grimaced as she realised what she’s probably going to do next. 

“Hold them!” Théoden shouts.

“How long do you need?” Aragorn asked quickly.

“As long as you can give me!” Théoden replied as he made his retreat.

“Gimli! Hina! To me!” Aragorn ordered.

“I’ll do you one better Aragorn-san!”

“Hina wait!”

But she didn’t wait. With the nimble speed of a Shinobi she jumped on the men’s heads before she made one big, almost impossible to the average Middle-earth man’s leap, up over the wall and down onto the forces of Uruk-hai beneath her. Hina held out a single hand as she concentrated on using a jutsu with just three fingers. Her other hand grabbed at her Fūma Shuriken as she began spinning it for momentum. 

“Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!” she shouted, before she blew the hottest blue dragon fire she could out of her mouth, encasing it with wind release to make it almost all encompassing at the enemies in front of her.

Almost at once hundreds of Uruk-hai were caught in the twisting line of the giant fire-dragon as it ate its way across the bridge, leaving only burning bodies in its wake. Then she began her dance of the subtle breeze style as she twisted and twirled around the burning orcs with her spinning Fūma shuriken.

“You fight a Shinobi!” she shouted, adrenaline pumping her gleeful expression, as she continued to cut down bodies and increased her chakra consumption.

Hina pushed forward despite her growing tiredness. There were shouts of cheers behind her encouraging her to preserver but her Shuriken got caught in the ground and she pulled at it back and in her tiredness, it refused to come to her. Only Aragorn’s blade stopped her from being cut down where she stood. The metal clashed in front of her face where a blade had intended to hit. Then he was in front of her taking on the army himself with the grace of a legendary swordsman. Hina pulled the lodged Fūma Shurkien from the ground, urged on by Aragorn and Gimli’s presence. They fought for what seemed like another hour but was probably only a few dozen minutes until Théoden finally ordered them back.

“Hina, Gimli, Aragorn! Get out of there!” Théoden ordered.

“Aragorn!” Legolas shouted from the walls, holding up a rope. 

Hina ran up the length of the wall before helping him with the rope, pulling it up with both Aragorn and Gimli at its tip. Once she pulled the two warriors up Hina heard a call for retreat and looked down in horror at the still endless horde beneath them. Legolas pulled her away and she was ripped from a moment of shock as they rushed into the last gate. The final stronghold.

Hina almost collapsed from exhaustion. She had almost depleted her chakra. She reluctantly palmed her last chakra pill and after a moment’s hesitation swallowed it. It only took a minute for the energy to jolt her stiff bones back into a nervous buzz. A hand to her shoulder in that moment almost startled her into an attack, but when she turned around it was to a feeling of relief.

“Boromir!” she exclaimed as she pulled him into an embrace.

He hugged her back and managed a relieved laugh too. They pulled away almost immediately at the sound of heavy bodies thudding into the door frame. There wasn’t even a moment to waste on small victories. Legolas rushed in with a shield as men held back the structure.

“The fortress is taken. It is over,” Théoden lamented.

“You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it! They still defend it! They have died defending it!” Aragorn shouted as he stopped in his step from helping barricade the doors. 

“They are breaking in!” a woman cried out in horror.

“Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves? Is there no other way?” Aragorn asked desperately.

“There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many,” Gamling replied defeatedly.

“Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance,” Aragorn ordered.

Despite the action in which the men around him took too quickly, the King turned around with horror and defeat in his posture. He stood still as he looked at the door being beaten against, thinking that all was lost.

“So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?” Théoden asked, weariness set on his brow.

“We can’t just give up and die!” Hina shouted angrily, entirely losing her patience with this man. She stood her case from earlier. It would have worked out in their favour if she just assassinated this useless King and kidnapped Éomer to fulfill the role. Unfortunately for her, she was surrounded by bleeding hearts, and Aragorn the chieftain of such kindness was eager to bring hope again to the hopeless king. 

“Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them!” Aragorn urged.

“Aye, we are men who will face the end with honour,” Boromir agreed as he brandished his sword.

Against the words of such courage the King managed to find some determination of his own. He stood a little straighter and nodded to himself as if to break away from the bleakness that had nearly overtaken him entirely. 

“For death and glory,” he said.

“For Rohan. For your people,” Aragorn disagreed gently.

“The sun is rising!”

Gimli’s exclamation made Hina look up to the window where tendrils of light were beginning to shine through. She wondered why it’s such an amazing thing. The Uruk-hai weren’t like normal Orcs. They didn’t fear the sun, nor did it make them tremble weakly. What would sunrise do for them now?

“Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!” Théoden exclaimed determinedly.

“Yes!” Gimli agreed happily as he ran up the stars towards the horn of the Helm Hammerhand. Hina really didn’t understand Gimli’s excitement either. The horn was meant to mark the final stand. It wasn’t exactly something to celebrate. Then again she thought like a Shinobi, not a Warrior.

“Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath! Now for ruin! And a red dawn!”

Hina jumped behind on Boromir’s mount as they charged towards a certain doom with the horn’s tremendous call in the backdrop. She wondered how the heck she had managed to find her doom on some other planet away from her own. She didn’t want to die, but she knew in her heart that this would be a good death if any, in the midst of people she respected and trusted with her life. She’d always imagined dying alone and among the enemies she had pretended to call allies. This was a better fate than that.

“FORTH EORLINGAS!!” Théoden shouted.

And as they rode through the horde of Uruk-hai, she let out a growl and pushed out her killing intent, making the Orcs scream and shout as she stabbed them down the narrow bridge.

Hina heard the name ‘Gandalf’ from Aragorn’s mouth and her eyes turned towards the sun in realisation. Then almost as if descending from the heavens itself, Gandalf comes down the mountain bringing with him light and hope. Hina had begun to almost associate the man with that word. And she watches in awe as all the Uruk-hai around her rush off to join the next battle, and a sea of horses rush down on them. Gandalf’s sheer brightness disoriented them as they clashed, and it was like watching water wash away filth, as the hordes of Orcs were cut down by a sea of charging men on horses.

“Victory!” Théoden cries in joy.

And what a victory it was. The most satisfying victory she had ever experienced. 

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 10

Hina joined in with Boromir as they cut down the stragglers, but the Orcs had all runaway towards the forest. Hina jumped down next to Legolas. She halted as Éomer ran ahead of them and stopped them from going forward. The men pulled their horses back as Éomer gave them a stern shake of the head.

“Don’t go into the forest!” Éomer warned.

Hina didn’t understand why they were letting the Uruk-hai retreat when suddenly the trees began groaning and the screams of Orc deaths rang through the air. Hina felt Legolas put a finger under her chin to close her mouth, because it was definitely hanging at the sight in front of her. She couldn’t believe what she’d just seen.

“Did… did the um—trees just kill the Uruk-hai?” Hina asked nervously.

“Yes, they did,” Legolas replied.

“Remind me to never travel through the forests here,” Hina mumbled, not just mildly terrified.

Legolas laughed as he put an arm around her shoulder shaking her against him. This was probably the happiest she’d seen the Elf and it made her laugh too. 

“So Legolas-san, how much did you say you were on?” Hina hummed with a glint in her eye.

“Forty-two,” he replied with a raised brow.

“Oh, you know not to boast,” Hina began as she cleaned her nails idly, “but I’m at four-hundred and five, not counting everyone I blew up with my tags.”

He huffed the hair out of his face at that, looking mildly miffed, but Hina just chuckled at his defeat, doing a little victory dance.

“Let’s go get Gimli’s score,” she said excitedly.

“I have no doubt beat him,” Legolas replied haughtily.

“We’ll see!”

They eventually did find the Dwarf. He was sitting on a dead Orc, smoking his pipe. Hina really wanted to try it now. Everyone around here was on that thing. She smirked as Legolas wiped his arrow, trying to look all cool.

“Final count; Forty-two,” Legolas says proudly.

“Forty-two?” Gimli gasps in sarcastic impressment, “That’s not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling.”

Legolas looks up from his bow with a frown and a raised brow and Hina ‘oohs’ in interest. Gimli runs his fingers down the length of his spear with a teasing grin on his face.

“I myself am on forty-three,” he says haughtily.

Legolas draws out his bow and shoots the Orc from in-between Gimli’s legs. The pipe smoking Dwarf looks up in disbelief.

“Forty-three,” Legolas says smugly.       

“He was already dead!”

“He was twitching,” Legolas disagreed.

“He was twitching, because he has my axe embedded in his nervous system!” Gimli shouted back in irritation as he jerked the axe and made the Orc twitch further.

“Although Gimli-san does have a point, let’s not forget that I’m on four-hundred and five,” Hina added in.

“Ay lass, but you used magic!” Gimli said with a huff. “That’s not fair, is it?”

“Life’s not fair,” Hina retorted. “Now if you excuse me, I need to sniff out a boy.”

“Ohh, got yourself a little love?” Gimli asked.

“W-What no! Just a friend!” Hina stuttered out flustered.

“Give him a big smooch for me!” Gimli shouted at her retreating form.

“He’s just a friend!” she insisted, throwing her hands in the air as she ran away from the two laughing men.

Despite them joking around, Hina was still worried. She had left Haleth to take care of himself when she went to save Aragorn. She couldn’t be by the boy’s side the entire time. She was too powerful to stay back and protect just one person when her skills could save countless more. So it was with a great deal of trepidation that she ventured out among the bodies and used her heightened sense of smell to track him down. Eventually she came by the northern gate where she saw him kneeling limp on a body. Hina’s heart dropped.

“Haleth-kun!” she shouted.

She grabbed him by his shoulder and pulled him up only to realise in complete relief that he was in fact fine. But his hair was a mess and tears stained his eyes. Hina looked down at the body he was crying on, and she understood why. She pulled the crying boy into a hug as he buried his face into her neck with a wail. Hama lay dead in front of her, a large gash running down his chest where the blade had struck him. Hina just let the boy cry for his dead father for a few minutes until his tears died into hiccups.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologised.

“It’s not your fault,” he mumbled as he rubbed the tears from his eyes. “Sorry for crying on you… you must think I’m pathetic.”

“I’d think you’re pathetic if you didn’t cry for a loved one’s death,” Hina replied back sternly. “Don’t ever apologise for grieving.”

He nodded but the devastation was still written on his face. She helped pull him to his feet. She clearly remembered the pain of losing her own parents, although that had been a very different experience altogether. They had died by her hands after all. But she knew how much pain she was in, and how much she’d wished for a distraction after that act. Instead she’d been thrown to the police for questioning for three days, and those three days had been a kind of prolonged torture in itself. She would not let Haleth go through that. He deserved closure.

“Come Haleth-kun, we will assist in clearing the dead. They deserve it.”

Hina led him to the bodies and began helping the group of men who’d begun to clear the dead from the field. She supposed she had enough energy for one last jutsu for the day and so she helped cart off the dead Uruk-hai to a corner where they had begun dumping the Orc bodies. Haleth could deal with the humans with the other men, but Hina’s skills could be used elsewhere. So she left when she saw Gamling piling up the corpses.

“What will we do with the bodies?” Hina asked Gamling.

“We normally burn them,” the man replied, as he pulled up his belt and sighed. “You should go and rest my lady. I saw the intensity in which you fought at the bridge. You have done your part.”

“Nah I assumed burning Orc flesh isn’t good for the ozone layer,” Hina joked.

“Ozone layer?” Gamling asked.

“Well… how about I save your men the trouble of dealing with the smell? Just pile them a little closer and let me work my magic,” Hina said as she stretched her arms.

Gamling nodded, knowing not to question this oddly terrifying teenager. She had killed so many Uruk-hai she probably had the highest kill count between all the men, and that wasn’t counting the devastating bombs she had created with paper. So he ordered the men to pile the bodies closer and then she told them to stand back.

Hina placed a seal on the ground and then another on each side and then took a moment to rip an orc arm off before using the blood from the appendage to draw a circle around the papers. The men watched mildly horrified as she knelt down by the blood circle and activated the seal. The earth seemed to crumble under the mass pile of dead Uruk-hai and before long they were swallowed by the ground. Hina dusted off her hands. It was a pretty useful seal when she was taking down forts and defences, but not really good for the middle of a battle when she didn’t have the time to make the circle.

“Incredible,” Gamling whispered.

“I know I am,” she responded a little haughtily.

“You have my life in your hands,” Haleth said.

Hina raised a brow at the boy but decided to ignore the fact that he had just pledged his life to her. She supposed the people of this land would consider her almost godly in skill. It boosted her already terrible ego though. Before she could finally take some rest, she felt Gandalf behind her. She turned and grinned before taking the man in a quick hug.

“Wizard—oh how I love WIZARDS! I can’t even express words on how amazing Wizards are,” Hina said happily. “It was so last minute, but you came through like a force of your own!”

“Ah yes, I would have had liked to come earlier, but it was not yet my time and it seems we had a Wizard of our own here,” he said, smiling down on her.

“Shinobi,” Hina corrected with a lopsided grin as she rubbed her nose. “I’m going to assume you didn’t come to me for no reason?”

“No, we were planning to go out to Isengard,” Gandalf said. “Although it looks like it’d be best to let you rest.”

“For Merry and Pippin! No, don’t leave me here,” Hina begged. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen those adorable little men!”

“Don’t fret. Come then.”

“Bye Haleth-kun, keep safe, and tonight we will fulfill that promise,” Hina said, clasping his hands. His tired grief stricken face loosened a little, the briefest of smiles taking his lips as he nodded. Hina gave him a tired smile of her own before she walked to Gandalf’s side.

Gandalf levelled her a smile of his own and Hina flushed as she pushed him lightly with a huff and shook her head. No, she didn’t like Haleth that way, she groused. Thankfully, Gandalf wasn’t the teasing type, and she was once again back in the company of the Fellowship. She hugged the men with a smile on their face as they shared a moment of victory. She was so caught up in the moment that she nearly hugged King Théoden too. To her shock Théoden gave her a respectful pat on her shoulder and a smile. She supposed she’d proven herself to him now. 

“Come now Hina,” Strider said as he held out a hand her way.

Hina got on his horse with him before they made their way towards Isengard. She froze uncomfortably when they reached the forest border.

“Wait a second, we’re not travelling through the forest, are we?” Hina asked worriedly.

“We are,” Théoden replied, raising a brow in question.

Hina gulped and hugged Aragorn more tightly than she normally would. “If I die now, it’s on you Aragorn,” she grumbled.

Hina absolutely hated this creaking groaning forest, and both her and Aragorn were attacked by a few wayward branches just itching to whack them (mostly her) in the face. The rest of the party went through the forest without even a leaf touching them. She mused that secretly Aragorn was regretting asking her on his horse. She, however, was more than happy to use him as a meat shield. 

“I see the forest still doesn’t like you,” Legolas noted, an amused smile on his face.

“Well I don’t like it,” Hina snapped at the vine coming at her face.

“We’ll be out soon enough,” Gandalf said in his most placating voice.

Eventually they reached the land past the forest. Hina breathed a sigh of relief as they entered a grassy alcove before making their way to the wall where she smelt Merry and Pippin down the bend. 

“Merry and Pippin are ahead!” she shouted excitedly, catching the attention of the men around her.

They picked up pace and soon they came upon the two Hobbits. Hina laughed almost instantly at the sight of the two—because of course these two troublemakers who were captured by Orcs were now lounging around smoking and eating like kings without any trouble in the world. Gimli, however, didn’t seem so amused.

“Welcome my lords,” Pippin greeted as he stood up, “to Isengard!”

“You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you feasting and smoking!” Gimli shouted in anger.

“We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good,” Pippin said, a little too casually.

Gimli licked his lips and Hina cackled at how easily his mood turned at the mention of meat. “Salted pork?” 

Gandalf shook his head and muttered a very annoyed, “Hobbits!” under his breath. Hina just jumped down and took the two Hobbits into a bear hug before she took some salted pork for herself.

“Oh this is good,” she agreed.

“We missed you Hina!” Merry said, hugging her back.

“Not as much as I missed good food though,” she replied in jest, although she was more than happy to give all the hugs in the world today, especially for the adorable Hobbit men.

“We didn’t come here for food, we came here for Saruman,” Gandalf sighed as he gestured with his staff to Isengard. He looked wholly unimpressed by the segway in conversation towards food. Hina grabbed more than a handful before sheepishly making her way back onto Aragorn’s horse, letting Boromir deal with the Hobbits. Boromir actually enjoyed their company, she reasoned. He seemed to treat anyone shorter than him as a younger sibling though.

“We’re under orders from Treebeard, who’s taken management of Isengard,” Merry relayed as he took another bite out of his meat.

Hina gaped at his late mention of said ‘Treebeard’ because she looked up to see a giant walking and talking tree. She nearly fainted. Legolas gave her a pointed look and she glared back at him. The tree’s voice made her breath leave her for a while.

“Huraroom... Young Master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come.”

The Ent turned to Hina and his face twisted in disgust. “What manner of creature have you bought with you?”

“Creature,” Hina huffed in indignation.

“This one, I assure will do you no harm,” Gandalf interjected.

The Ent didn’t look convinced, but he turned back to look at the Wizard’s tower. “The creature will have to wait then. Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there's a wizard to be managed here locked in his tower,” the Ent groaned out slowly.

“Be careful, even in defeat Saruman is dangerous,” Gandalf warned.

“Then let’s just have his head and be done with it,” Gimli said.

“My thoughts exactly. I’ll scale up the wall, and off goes his head,” Hina agreed.

“No! We need him alive,” Gandalf disagreed. “We need him to talk.”

Hina grinned and was received with a glare from Gandalf. “What? I have several ways to make a man talk. Let me at him.”

“Hina—” 

Before Gandalf could berate the child for always being a little too eager for violence, Saruman made his appearance at the height of his tower. When he spoke, despite not screaming, his voice carried down with power.

“You have fought many wars and slayed many men, Théoden King,” Saruman greeted, “and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did my old friend? Can we not have peace?”

Hina couldn’t help the scoff and roll of her eye, but even as much as she really didn’t like King Théoden, even he was enraged by the word ‘peace’ uttered from Saruman’s mouth. She’d never seen the man so furious.

“We shall have peace… we shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace, when the bodies of the soldiers, who were hewn when they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet, for the sport of your own crows! We shall have peace.”

Hina was impressed by the King for the first time since meeting him. She could only agree with his demands. She’d like to see Saruman hanging from this ‘gibbet’ of theirs, and she’d love to watch him paraded before the men and women who he’d ruined the lives of, for Haleth to gaze upon the man who carried about the death of his father—and to know justice has been served.

“Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Grahame? Let me guess, the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad Dor itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!” Saruman demanded.

Gandalf could see the darkness in his old friend’s eyes and felt the loss too deeply. Once Saruman had been a good soul, one who was intent on making the world a better place, one who had fought the forces of Morgoth and led armies of Men and Elves to victory. Once he had been a better man, but now he was too entrenched in darkness, only seeing greed in other men where there was none but his own. He was lost to the darkness… yet Gandalf hoped his old friend was still there.

“Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy’s counsel,” Gandalf reasoned.

“So you have come here for information. I have some for you,” Saruman replied as he held up the palantir and looked into its fiery depths. “Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it! Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon!”

Hina hissed behind Aragorn, but the man grabbed her thighs and stopped her from jumping up there and just beating the information from his lips.

“You are all going to die! But you know this don’t you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned King.”

She’s heard this many times before from the lips of a lot of master manipulators. It would be folly to let him continue speaking, because even if they knew his words weren’t true, he would sow seeds of doubt, and left unchecked those festered beyond control. Even now Hina noticed the subtle tilt of Aragorn’s head towards Gandalf, but the small seed of doubt now planted in his thoughts.

“Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him, those he professes to love! Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death!” Saruman continued.

“That’s it! Shut your crusty old mouth or I’ll come up there and do it for you!” Hina shouted in anger as she stood up on the horse without even a tilt in her balance.

“Pah! The words of an unnatural twisted creature! You would listen to those over my own council?!”

“I’ve heard enough! Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!” Gimli shouted.

“Gimli’s right, shoot him,” Hina growled.

Hina was grateful for Legolas because someone finally listened to her for once. He eagerly notched his arrow, pointing it directly at Saruman. Her smile dropped when Gandalf rode in front of the archer and shook his head.

“No! Come down Saruman and your life will be spared!” Gandalf pleaded again.

“Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!”

Hina knew she should have just jumped up there and taken him down because he shot a ball of fire at Gandalf, and Hina knew she didn't have the energy to move fast enough to get to him in time. It’s only the dissipating of the fire, and Gandalf’s untouched appearance that calms her nerves.

“Saruman” Gandalf called out the other Istari’s name with such power Hina was left shaken. “Your staff is broken!”

As if the world itself was bending to Gandalf’s command, the staff in Saruman’s hands blasted out of his hands and cracked down the middle. Hina was once again reminded of the sheer incredulity of the powers in this world, and just how much stronger it was than chakra when called for. She didn’t dwell on it long because Grima Wormtongue made his presence known from behind his master. 

“Grima! You need not follow him! You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down,” Théoden urged.

And Hina thought she was a sentimental person… if someone had made her form weak and caused the death of her own son, even indirectly, she’d be stringing them up and skinning them alive, not bartering for their life.

“A man of Rohan?” Saruman scoffed. “What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helms Deep does not belong to you Théoden Horse Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires!”

To his credit Théoden didn’t even flinch at Saruman’s wordplay and ignored him entirely in favour of the pasty, slimy man. “Grima. Come down! Be free of him!”

“Free? He will never be free!”

“No!” Grima shouted, the shout of a man utterly done with being ordered around. 

“Get down cur!” Saruman growls as he backhands the man to the ground.

Hina wondered just how lame of a display Saruman can continue to show, because all he’d been doing so far was making a fool out of himself.

“Saruman! You were deep in the enemy’s counsel. Tell us what you know!” Gandalf urged.

Hina didn’t make to stop Grima from stabbing the Wizard in the back or stop Legolas from shooting the man. Saruman wouldn’t have given Gandalf the information he wanted, and it was beginning to annoy her that enemies were being left alive left and right just for the sake of mercy. Blood was spilt sure, but more would continue if everyone just let terrible murderers and warmongers run back out in the name of mercy.

But the White Wizard got what he deserved as if the world itself had willed it. Saruman fell from the tower and was impaled on the water wheel below. The sound was rather brutal and so was the sight. The Hobbits winced at the violence, but Hina simply chuckled. Sometimes divine justice just had a way of righting wrongs on its own, and it was always satisfying to watch. Gandalf however, sighed at the wasted opportunity, but he knew they needed to continue.

“Send word to all our allies and to every corner of Middle Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike.”

Hina watched as the water wheel turned and Saruman disappeared head-first beneath its depths. Then she remembered that there was a giant tree next to them and winced when it began talking again. Trees just shouldn’t talk in any world ever. 

“The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back to live here.”

Hina noticed Pippin jump off the horse and looked on questioningly although the Ent continued its speech. The young Hobbit leant down into the water to grab something and pulled out the Palantir Saruman was holding. The black orb seemed to have a pull of its own, ever subtle as it is in comparison to the oppressive whispers of the ring. Hina knew for sure with this one, that she didn’t want to even touch it unlike the tempting pull of the one ring itself. This one felt dangerous.

“Bless my bark!” Treebeard roared at the sight.

“Peregrin Took. I’ll take that my lad! Quickly now!” Gandalf said hastily, as Pippin handed the Palantir to him. 

The Wizard wrapped it up as he looked the Hobbit down with a concerned look. Pippin shook his head sheepishly as Boromir let him back on.

“Don’t go jumping off so suddenly like that,” Boromir chided.

“Sorry,” Pippin muttered.

“We shall ride to Edoras,” the King ordered.

The journey back had taken the better half of the day and they’d reached Rohan by nightfall. Hina was beyond tired. She’d hardly slept in 5 days and used most of her chakra up in a war, and during that time she’d had about 3 meals. She was grimy, covered in Orc guts, and was ravenous. She almost kissed the ground when they reached the city, because her thighs were killing, and as fun as it was to trot around on horses for a few hours, sitting on running ones for the whole day was not fun.

“I want a bath,” she whined.

“That will be arranged,” Théoden replied in amusement. 

Hina realised in her half dazed, hunger starved state she had complained out loud in front of the King and she flushed in embarrassment. Thankfully, it didn’t look like he cared much for her voicing her desires, and it looked like he only agreed all too well. And Hina watched him do something that made her take back wanting to have him assassinated.

“Come here lass,” he gestured to a passing servant, “set these men and lady with their rooms, a bath and food and drink to serve.”

“The guest house, m’lord?” the woman, who looked to be in her early twenties asked.

“Yes, the one towards the eastern side. Hurry, they are weary from travel and war.”

“Yes, my lord,” the girl said bowing.

Hina leant down on Gimli and sighed happily. “He’s definitely the best King I’ve ever met.”

“It doesn’t take much to impress you, does it? Not a day ago it was all talk of assassination” the Dwarf said dryly.

“What? Sue me if I value some good hospitality,” Hina grouched.

She didn’t grouch for much longer though because she was taken up to the castle where she witnessed, with a raised brow, as Éowyn jumped up and hugged Aragorn with a relieved smile. Was she sensing chemistry? Was this a love triangle? Hina was suddenly very interested.

“Ladies man,” she whistled, getting an amused shake of the head from Boromir, who grabbed her by her arm and pulled her away from looking too long.

“Come on let them be,” Boromir said.

“Aww but it was just getting juicy!”

“Weren’t you complaining about a bath not a moment ago?”

“Fair point.”

And so Hina was shown to her guest room, which she was more than not happy about because it looked like all the men were bunking together in the opposite room whereas she was given one big room to herself. Still the lady was bringing her the water for a bath and who was Hina to complain? She didn’t waste much time stripping before jumping into the bath with a happy squeal.

“My lady, the water is going everywhere!”

“Sorry,” Hina apologised in a not so apologetic tone.

“Do you require me to wash your hair my lady?”

Hina’s head almost snapped up at the offer and she looked at the lady wide eyed. She shook her head and frowned. Suddenly she was in ROOT, naked and shivering with heavy fabric on her face, and water suffocating her with every drop. A shiver wracked through her body, but she blinked away the familiar terror of memories coming back to life. She wasn’t there anymore, she told herself. She was in another world entirely, so she wasn’t allowed to be afraid, not of water, and nothing so banal as a bath.

“My lady?”

“I… yes,” she said, mustering up whatever courage she had.

Hina lay back and looked at the wooden ceiling with a deliberate in and out breathing technique. The woman went to grab a ladle to pour the water down her hair when Hina grabbed her hand in such speed it startled the woman.

“Please just… slowly and don’t get any water on my face,” Hina said softly as she eased the grip on the woman’s arms.

“Of course my Lady.”

Then she closed her eyes and thought of happy things, like miso-soup—she missed miso-soup, and oh god… she couldn’t believe she was saying this, but she missed dango. Anko would be proud of her. Well she also did miss Anko… she always did. 

Keeping the thoughts at bay helped her ignore the fear that shivered through her spine when the water hit her scalp, or when gentle fingers carded through the knots there. She caught glimpses of ROOT agents, and Orochimaru in her periphery, holding her down, torturing her—promising a pain she couldn’t breathe through.

“Your natural hair is a beauty my lady. I’ve never seen such a vibrant green.”

Hina opened her eyes and was extremely grateful for the woman speaking. She hadn’t realised she was gripping the sides of the bath until it bent. When she looked up, she saw the woman was looking pointedly away from her hands in… fear? She eased up.

“Thanks… you should see my little brother’s hair. It’s even brighter and longer,” she said with a smile.

“Longer than yours my lady?” the woman asked in disbelief.

“His hair is the prettiest in our family. Of course mine comes a close second,” Hina said with a smile as she realised the fingers massaging through her scalp actually felt… nice.

“Then it must be a blessing from the Valar itself, for it reminds me of spring grass.”

Hina blushed. She didn’t know what to say to that kind of compliment, so she sank down a little lower shyly. Now that she looked at the lady she was rather pretty and Hina was naked in front of her. She supposed her heart should be beating a mile an hour or her thoughts should be carnal in some way, but she felt none of that. Instead she felt almost indifferent to any sexual thoughts, as if it didn’t come to her like it did normally in her previous life. She filed that worrisome thought away for some other time. 

“Sorry for… scaring you earlier.”

“You looked on edge my lady. It’s no fault of yours. Something scared you, didn't it?”

“Yes,” Hina admitted reluctantly. “It brings back bad memories—people touching my head that is…”

“Then why did you agree, my lady?” the woman asked, pausing, and pulling away.

“I thought it was time I conquered that fear.”

“You just came from a war. Relax and don’t stress yourself further. I think I will take my leave. Feel free to stay there as long as you wish.”

Hina nodded in relief as the woman left. She supposed she was stressed from the ministrations on her scalp, even if they did feel good… she could do it herself anyway. With that thought she dunked herself in until she managed to scrub all the grime from her body. Then she moved to the mirror and began plucking her brows. Just because men wouldn’t maintain their beauty didn’t mean she had to be lazy about it too.

It’s not that Hina couldn’t sleep alone, or that she was afraid of the dark, or that the room was too big for little old her. She’d slept in all sorts of conditions, from her own bed she dearly missed, to a tree, to a rocky shore, and even clumped up against shivering naked ROOT agents. She’d been comfortable and in pain, alone and with others, and she’d experienced it all… but there was just something irritating about being left out of a sleepover. She’d hardly had many of those… unless you counted camping out in the wild with a bunch of men and women for missions. No, this was a real sleepover. In a castle, with friends nearby, and food and no enemies in sight. If that wasn’t a sleepover, she didn’t know what was, and so she snuck her way into the room next-door where the Fellowship were going to sleep.

“Hey guys!”

“By the Valar!” Gimli shouted as he pulled a towel over his half naked form. “You shouldn’t be sneaking into a room full of men in who knows what!”

Hina rolled her eyes. He was wearing his underwear. What was he so flustered about anyways?

“Just put some pants on then… plus I bring gifts!” Hina said with a grin as she pulled out her share of the food and drink.

“Ok… Ok we’ll accept you for now,” Gimli reluctantly agreed although he was already putting on some pants.

Boromir came out shirtless next and with a towel on his head, but he didn’t look all that flustered. In fact he gave Hina a smile as he came by alongside the Hobbits who were eager to grab some of the food she brought along.

“What are you doing here Hina?” Boromir asked.

“Oh I was bored! They gave me a whole room to myself the size of this one, but you were having a sleep-over and I was lonely.”

“Sleep-over?” Merry asked curiously.

“You know… where you sleep-over,” she said pointing to the room. 

“What do you do in a sleep-over?” Pippin asked.

Hina grinned excitedly. “Well normally the brave of heart, and stout of body would not in fact sleep but rather play games well into the night, but after that war… yeah I need to sleep.”

“You don’t look too happy with that,” Legolas pointed out,

“Of course not! First sleep-over in years and no games through the night—the horror,” she grumbled dramatically.

Aragorn walked into the room next, noticed Hina and sighed as if he’d expected this. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re having a ‘sleep-over’ Pippin said conspiratorially.

“That’s not something… inappropriate is it?” Aragorn asked with a frown.

“No!” Hina protested. “It’s just where you sleep-over and play games all night.”

“You should rest Hina… also Boromir please put a shirt on. A lady is in the room,” Aragorn chided.

Hina huffed and crossed her arms to defend Boromir. “If Boromir-san wants to sleep shirtless and feel the wind against his free skin at night, then we should let him!”

“I have the lady’s blessings,” he said sarcastically, but with amusement as he got into his bed and pulled the sheets onto himself.

“Well… there aren’t any beds left,” Aragorn pointed out.

“That’s ok! I’ll sleep with Pippin-kun!” Hina said, grabbing the Hobbit’s arm.

“What?!” Pippin asked.

“Well it’s either Pippin or I sleep next to a shirtless Boromir,” she chimed in innocently.

She heard Boromir snort as if to hold back a laugh from the other side of the room, but Aragorn didn’t look amused at all. Eventually he inclined his head in silent agreement and that was enough to convince Hina to jump in bed with Pippin.

“Ahhh… now this is a sleepover,” she said with a smile. “Food, a comfortable bed, and a friend. Tell me a story.”

“Oh I do like telling a good story.”

Hina fell asleep the moment he spoke the first sentence. To her credit Pippin hadn’t even realised until he was nearly done. Merry had let him continue, because well, he liked a good story too. Unfortunately for the Hobbits, the Dwarf had already finished Hina’s offerings of food, and they reluctantly went to sleep without any extra servings.

She’d slept well into the later hours of the day. She had been beyond exhausted after the war. She’d used up too much chakra over a much longer period than she was used to. At most a Shinobi battle would last an hour, and that was stretching it. This battle had been the longest she’d ever been in, and it lasted a whole night. She was grateful no one had woken her up though because what she needed was a long night’s rest after food to finally get her chakra stores back to their half-way point. She got out of bed and made her way out of the empty men’s room and towards her own where she saw a forest green dress laid out for her on the bed. She palmed the material and wondered if she should wear it.

“My lady, you finally came back I see.”

Hina turned around to catch the servant girl and smiled. “It’s just Hina, and I didn’t catch your name.”

“Hanne, my lady.”

Hina smiled at the woman. She reminded her of Aredhal the Elven woman who had taken care of her dress back in Rivendell. She supposed without the aid of these servants she would have never put on anything other than her kimono, but she knew it was in bad form in these parts. Apparently showing your thighs was scandalous. For once however, Hina decided she’d agree without protest to wear the dress. She could always arm herself discreetly to keep her sanity during large events, but she also knew that there wouldn’t be a surprise attack or anything. This wasn’t the Elemental Nations where anything could happen anytime, she reminded herself.

“Well Hanne-san, I admit, I’d need help changing into one of these,” Hina says sheepishly as she looks at the corset like lace up at the back.

“What’s a hand-maid for then?” Hanne replied with a smile of her own,

Apparently, it wasn’t scandalous for a handmaid to see you mostly naked. Hina always had her chest bindings on as well as some skin-tight shorts like underwear on under her kimono, mostly because while she did enjoy the beauty of traditional female underwear, she had long learnt to appreciate practicality over aesthetics during missions, and chafing was a bitch when she wore her kimono skirt.

“There, the dress is done. Do you wish for me to do your hair, Lady Hina?”

Hina admired the dress with a smile. It was more her style than the one in Rivendell which had such a wide neckline and a lot more embroidery. This one was simpler in its design but a lot more form fitting, and Hina appreciated that the dress didn’t drag on the floor but rather ended at her ankles. Someone must have put some thought into her as a person before altering it, she mused.

“Sure go ham,” Hina smiles.

“Go ham?” Hanne mused unsurely before she decided to ask, “Lady Hina, would you wish for it to remain undone or braided?”

“Legolas rocks both, so I want to try that as well,” Hina mused.

Hina had no idea when Legolas had the time to sit down and braid his hair, but she didn't question it. At least one man in their horribly messy looking crew has the moment to fix up his appearance. She’s more than a little jealous that he never plucked his brows though… how did he manage to keep it looking so neat? Hina’s thoughts took her everywhere as she actively tried to ignore the hands pulling at her hair.

“Done my Lady. Do you wish to see the back?”

Hanne gave Hina a smaller mirror and the girl turned to look at it uncertainly. The sides of her head were taken into a braid that pulled towards the middle back, where the braid was twisted around a bun. She mused that Hanne had put in some flower clips, because it looks exactly like a spring field up the back. Hina supposed it could be considered pretty to others, but she just found it kind of hilarious. If Kurenai saw this, she’d be laughing about vege-senpai turning into garden-senpai—or something equally more teasing.

“It’s good,” she settled on saying.

“My pleasure, Lady Hina. Come then, I’m sure you would like to meet your friends.”

Hina nodded eagerly as she was taken to the stables much to her confusion. She saw Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn talking to Boromir who was on a horse. Hina rushed up to the group in confusion.

“And where are you going?” Hina asked.

He looked grim for a second. “Word has arrived that Osgiliath grows ever closer to defeat. I must return to my people… to my brother.”

Hina felt almost panicked at the idea of Boromir leaving on his own. She had come to see him almost like an older brother on their travels. It was hard not to when Boromir was so easy to get along with. Knowing he would have died in the Orc raid before had made her wary of his future. She didn’t want to see him dead. 

“Take me with you!” Hina urged.

“I cannot Hina,” he said, shaking his head. “There is no time to waste, and while I know your strength in battle, that is not what Minas Tirith needs right now. I will go to give council to my father. In my heart I know your presence belongs here.”

“Oh come on! I can’t just let you travel a what—three days journey by yourself! You could get hurt,” Hina said desperately. “Take me with you!”

“I travelled a hundred-day journey to Rivendell on my own Hina,” he said with a reassuring smile. “You best know I can make it three days safely. I thank you for your concern—but it is not necessary.”

Hina clenched her fists angrily, and was not happy that Legolas, nor Gimli had helped convince Boromir he needed a travel companion too. Did they not care that he was going out on his own? Hina hated that Boromir dismissed her and turned to Aragorn with an almost reverent look on his face.

“The day will soon come when Gondor will have a King. I will see to it my lord,” Boromir said with conviction as he kicked his horses’ side and made away.

Hina scowled as she crossed her arms. Why… she should go change right now and catch up to him. Her plans were cut short by Aragorn who held her shoulder and shook his head pointedly her way.

“No Hina. We have yet to know where Sauron intends to strike. Boromir is right, you must stay, or you will be somewhere we cannot help you.”

Hina nodded reluctantly, but the frown didn’t leave her face… well that was until Gimli put an arm around her shoulder and brought her in with a grin.

“What say you lass, for a hot meal and a cold drink?! Take your mind off things, eh?”

“Ok…” she mumbled reluctantly.

Hina had made herself busy in the kitchens with food prep. She enjoyed cooking sometimes, when her mind would wander, and when she had the time. She didn’t think she could ever beat the Hobbits with their natural sense for cooking and flavour, but she did spend most of her early Genin years cooking for the camps. Apparently, her food didn’t taste like cardboard, and so people always ended up putting her on kitchen duty. She liked it. Much better than watch duty at least. All you did was stand around and hope not to be assassinated on that job. 

She’d been met with some reluctance when she offered her aid, but as she began peeling and cutting, the women there realised she had some skill and soon she was tasked with more things. Everyone was busy preparing for the feast tonight. 

After more than a few hours of cooking, she was told to go to the Dining hall and that she’d done more than enough, and she didn’t have to serve either. Everyone knew who she was, her distinctive features and green hair making her one of the known contributors to the war. She was met with too much awe and reverence for her liking. 

“Lady Hina!”

Hina turned around to see Haleth waving at her. She smiled as she waved back and walked up to him. He was surrounded by some other boys around his age who were giggling at his flushed face. Hina was reminded of Guy, and although she did feel the ache of his absence, it still made her chuckle too. She didn’t, however, expect Haleth to pull out a rose for her. She blinked in shock and looked around to make sure Gimli and Legolas weren't around… or she’d never hear the end of this from them. 

“I um… I thought I’d make well on our promise,” Haleth stuttered out in embarrassment as Hina accepted the flower.

“I’m glad,” Hina said honestly because it would have been too depressing if he couldn’t.

The boy next to Haleth hit him sharply with his elbow as if to urge him to do something more. Haleth looked entirely out of his depth as he held out a hand. Hina raised a brow in question. She knew he was trying to probably do this culture’s equivalent of asking her out, but she had no idea what this gesture meant.

“Would you like to have my company this night, Lady Hina?” he asked.

“Sure thing, Haleth-kun,” she smiled as she took his hand.

Hina didn’t expect him to hook his arm around one of hers and take her away. She pretended to not see the boys behind her clapping and giving Haleth a ‘discreet’ thumbs up as he turned to look at them in alarm. She thought it was all rather cute, and she knew this would be a good memory for him, even though it wouldn’t last. And he certainly needed the distraction after what happened to his father.

He pulled out a seat for her and she sat down, getting a few chuckles from the older ladies around her. Now that was embarrassing. Really adults knew too well how to embarrass children. Hina would never get used to being called cute by an adult. It remained equally as embarrassing now as it did when she was a baby. Eventually the chatter dropped when Éowyn walked in with a goblet and the King took his seat at the head chair. Éowyn dropped onto her knee and the King took his goblet. 

“Today we remember the men who gave their lives to defend this country. Hail the victorious dead!” Théoden exclaimed as he held up his goblet. 

“Hail!” the people shouted in return.

Hina watched and repeated as they did, lagging a little in her confusion before they all drank. She drank what was in her cup too but was mildly disappointed when she realised it was just grape juice. 

“Now let the celebrations begin!”

Then almost as quickly, talks of chatter and noise erupted into excited cheers as everyone raised their pints and the celebration began. Hina turned to Haleth who looked uncertainly her way, as if not sure what to talk about.

“You look beautiful in that dress, Lady Hina,” he said after building up a great deal of courage.

Hina blinked in a daze, unsure of how to take this awkward setting. She had forgotten how embarrassing and unsure teenage courtship was until now, and she almost regretted agreeing to this little non-consequential date. 

“U-um thank you,” she managed to stutter out, trying to make sure her face wasn't as red as the rose in her hand was. “So what do you do in parties like this anyway?”

“Um… usually the adults tend to drink themselves into unconsciousness,” Haleth said with a smile on his face, “but us children—we prefer games and the sort… though usually not with a partner.”

“Then what do you do with a uhm… partner?” Hina asked, clearing her throat.

“Probably something like small talk and then…” he trailed off before his eyes went wide and he turned beat red.

Hina guessed he was about to say something like kissing. Kami knew teenage boys had the most raging hormones around. Hina wasn’t so sure she wanted to kiss Haleth. She’d told herself she wouldn’t do anything like that until she was an adult, because even though she had reincarnated as a child, she did still have memories of an adult life in the past. It felt wrong to do anything until everyone in the party was at least twenty years old. 

To his credit once they did start talking, Haleth was really good at keeping the conversation going, and soon they were laughing and chatting like age old friends. Hina supposed past the awkwardness, Haleth really was the laid-back sort. Then they heard the music and he got up excitedly.

“Come on then Lady Hina, dance with me!”

“I… dancing?” Hina asked unsurely.

Dancing… she had last danced when she was with Anko, and that had opened up a whole can of worms that she was still dealing with today. Before she could protest though, Haleth grabbed her by her hands and took her to the dance floor. She didn’t know how people in this land danced either way, but from the looks of it, it was partner dancing, but thankfully not the boring slow kind, instead more energetic with claps and twirls and jigs. 

“So you throw your hands out, hook it together and these are the leg movements,” Haleth showed her. “Want to try it?”

Hina hesitantly nodded. She felt lively… no Akatsuki, no war, just a party and a date. She supposed this was the most normal her life had been in years, and she would be lying if she said she didn’t miss dancing. Cat had danced with her late into the night in her previous life, when she had two left feet and no coordination. Those had been the brightest years of her life. She’d managed to get a glimpse of that contented joy when she’d danced with Anko. 

Soon she was dancing with Haleth and some of the other children had joined too, a few of them she’d noted had been the friends who’d urged him along. They had begun laughing and clapping and twirling when she’d heard her name called.

“Hina!” Legolas shouted as he held up a pint.

“Are you drunk?!” Hina asked in shock.

She turned to see more than a dozen pints empty by the Elf and Gimli passed out on the floor and so she stopped her dancing to laugh. Even Haleth joined in by her side… that was until Legolas egged her on.

“Play your flute bard of ours!” Legolas challenged.

“I’m a novice!” she said flustered as the men and women around her turned to cheer in agreement with the Elf.

“Slay that flute like you slay your enemies!” Legolas laughed evilly, nearly tripping over his own feet.

Now Hina was sure the Elf was drunk, even if mildly, because he’d never looked so playful before. The whole room erupted eagerly, urging her to play the flute now. They probably thought she was actually good at it. She decided the peer pressure was too much because she took out her scroll and unsealed her flute. The men and women around her awed with mouths open in amazement at the casual display of magic before them, but they were too drunk to stay focused on that when she brought the flute to her lips. Hina played an easy upbeat song Rui had taught her, and everyone was clapping along as Merry and Pippin joined into dance to the generic tune as they started singing and gathering attention atop a table.

“Oh you can search far and wide, you can drink the whole town dry, but you’ll never find a beer so brown, but you’ll never find a beer so brown, as the one we drink in our hometown, As the one we drink in our hometown. You can drink your fancy ales; you can drink them by the flagon but the only brew for the brave and true—”

Hina was thrown off tune by Pippin who had suddenly stopped singing. She noticed him pausing to look at Gandalf as if something was wrong, but she was cut back into focus by Merry.

“Pippin!

 Pippin turned back to Merry and continued with the song.

“Comes from the Green Dragon!”

Hina finished off the flute hastily and was met with a laugh as they patted her on her back and everyone cheered despite how terribly she’d ended the song.

“That was terrible flute music! But greatly enjoyable!” Éomer laughed. 

“Gee thanks,” Hina said, rolling her eyes before Legolas came up to her like the betrayer he was.

“You shouldn’t keep your partner waiting,” he laughed.

She punched the Elf a little too hard on his shoulder, getting a laugh from Aragorn to the side as she fled from the centre of attention back to Haleth’s side. She held her cheeks in embarrassment and groaned.

“Oh that was terrible,” she lamented.

“No, no! It was the… most beautiful music I’d ever heard,” Haleth disagreed although he was clearly lying. “We should go play card games with the others! I’m sure they’d like to meet you.”

“Nice recovery,” Hina laughed as he changed the topic too obviously.

Haleth laughed nervously before taking her to where all the children were playing their card games intently. She noted that they had gambled in a few hair clips and shoes. 

“How’s the date going?” one of the boys asked, only to be hit from one of the others by his elbow and given a dirty look.

“Haleth’s a lot of fun,” Hina said, chuckling. “How about I put in a shuriken for this round and you lads teach me how to play.”

The boys eagerly accept as they eye the metal throwing star with hungry looks. Hina supposed it was a grand price compared to whatever else is on the table. Then she spent the rest of the night making merry and losing terribly at gambling. It had been a long time since she’d laughed so much and so genuinely. 

Eventually the boys admitted that they’d managed to steal some real drinks. Hina didn’t know how the woman had given them a barrel of wine instead of grape juice, but she didn't tattle. Instead she ended up in a drinking contest with the boys who she obviously won against. She was naturally a light weight, but her modified body of hers had poison resistance and so she’d won easily. Haleth laughed as the boys chased both her and him out drunkenly as Hina tripped them all. Once they were out in the cold night air, Hina chuckled as she lent over the balcony. 

“Oh you should have seen their faces,” she laughed before Hina gasped.

She had not expected Haleth to have lent in for a kiss. She stood still in shock for a moment, but that’s all he really did before he pulled away. Hina looked down shocked as she touched her lips and blushed in embarrassment. She didn’t think he would do it, or that she’d ever let him… but she’d let herself get distracted and dropped her guard, and the horror in her eyes must have shown to him because his smile turned into a frown.

“I-I’m sorry,” he apologised in confusion.

“Ah, no it’s ok!” Hina blurted out before her lips pressed into a frown she couldn’t help. “It’s just that… you know this is only for tonight Haleth. I’m not going to stay in Rohan forever, and when Sauron attacks, I will be going off to that war and when that is done… I doubt even Aragorn will see me again.”

Haleth looked stricken but Hina knew it was only temporary. Teenagers would find love and lose it just as quickly. Soon Haleth would find someone else, someone more permanent than her, and he’d forget whatever temporary feelings he’d had for Hina. Thankfully, he seemed to understand too, although the frown he wore was genuine.

“I know… but I had hoped for some reason that you would stay. Out there in the war I had been… so scared until you came by my side. With you there I felt safe. And then my f-father… I didn’t know what to do. I still don’t… but you took my mind off it” he said in a whisper as he held my hands. “So even if it’s just for this one day, I am glad I could spend it with you.”

Hina flushed at the praise and looked at the rose still hooked by her skirt. Haleth had genuinely meant what he’d said. She realised now it wasn’t some childish infatuation. He was grateful. She didn’t know how to laugh off genuine feelings like that. She didn’t have a joke to play it off and continue coolly like she wished she could. She could only respond to Haleth’s earnestness with her own. 

“This was the best night I’d had in years too,” Hina admitted.

“Then can I be blessed to end it with one last kiss?”

Hina had to admit that Haleth was ballsy, but she wasn’t in the business of kissing children and so she nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheeks much to his apparent disappointment. She patted his shoulders in a friendly way after that, trying to ignore how she was blushing like a shy teenager. Somehow this body of hers was making it hard for her to think straight after the most chaste kiss she’d ever given anyone. She realised she wasn’t used to such displays of affection… well it was either that or her teenage hormones. At most she hugged or playfully punched someone. Never did she actively kiss anyone other than Tsukiya when he was a baby. 

“It’s been a fun night Haleth-kun, but all good things come to an end,” she said, hoping the bitterness didn’t show in her voice. 

“Who says it has to end now? See you tomorrow?” he asked hopefully.

Hina liked his attitude and she smiled and nodded.

“Tomorrow,” she agreed.

She left to her quarters that night with memories of dancing and laughter. Hina clutched the rose Haleth had given her and wondered if there could be a day she could enjoy this same peace with her family. A taste had been enough, and Hina wondered if she’d ever forget how sweet it was.

Chapter Text

Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 11

Hina didn't sleep much that night. The call of something ominous in the far distance plagued her mind. It wasn't a foreign feeling to her anymore after having travelled months on the road with Frodo and the one ring. Still it had been a while since she'd felt that kind of darkness. Galadriel's gift to her had saved her life in that sense. Hina thought she would have succumbed to the darkness during the war on Helm's Deep without her blessing. 

Because of the party, a lot of women had overtaken her guest room which the day before had been empty. They were frail, pretty little things. Not a fight in their bones and certainly not a threat to her, but she'd never been comfortable sleeping around strangers. The people of Rohan were still strangers to her. Unwilling to be exposed, even in the midst of non-combatants she changed into her green kimono, and ignored the cold air against her exposed legs as she made outside. It was in the cover of night, and if they found her scandalous, she wasn’t really in the mood to care. 

She had been planning to go to the balcony but hadn’t expected to run into Legolas there. He inclined his head towards her with a smile before he turned to face East. In the distance she could feel the red darkness of Sauron.

"He must be powerful," she noted. "More powerful than anyone I have met before... and I personally know a man who could level an entire kingdom with just the gaze of his eyes. To be more powerful than that... I do wonder if it’s possible to defeat him."

Legolas took the information of another man that powerful rather gracefully. He did in fact understand the sheer presence of Sauron more than most. The Elves could feel the darkness better than Men could. They understood the warped nature of it. Legolas had a strong will, and he was able to ignore it, like he did the power on Hina's neck. He was coming to wonder if things were always as they seemed, if someone good could have such twisted energy.

"Sauron is moving, his forces are preparing to unleash their plague. I can feel the change in the air," Legolas said grimly as he turned to nod at Aragorn who had come too. She had come for solitude and found company.

"Couldn't sleep as well?" Hina asked.

"There is a foulness in the air tonight," Aragorn said with a grimace. 

"That's because big daddy Sauron is on his way apparently," Hina groused. "He must have felt Saruman's defeat."

Aragorn snorted in amusement at her casual address of the Dark Lord. He supposed her irreverence was a welcome distraction from the fear he kept hidden away in the face of such odds.

"We have defeated Saruman's forces against all odds. Maybe fate is yet on our side."

"It is," Hina said knowingly.

She had a feeling her hand in this world wouldn't have changed much of the prophesied events she had watched in her previous life. In Konoha she had managed to irrevocably change the destiny of her lands. Whether for good or bad she didn't know, but she didn't think the same could be said about this world. More beings than the Elves, Dwarves, and the Humans had their hands in events here. It seemed even supposed gods were invested.

“The stars are veiled… something stirs in the East, a sleepless malice, and the eye of the enemy once again moves. I feel it now,” Legolas warned again.

Just as Legolas finished his final warning all three of them turned to the sound of Merry screaming. Hina felt a sound almost akin to the call of the ring. She body flickered almost instantly into the men’s sleeping quarters where she witnessed Pippin holding the Palantir.

“Sauron’s eye!” Hina gasped as she grabbed the ball out of Pippin’s hands to get it away, only to find herself sucked into its call.

She was in a storming world of red fire the next time she opened her eyes. In the distance was Sauron’s eyes, slitted and angry looking down at her. She gasped at his overwhelming presence as they met gazes, slitted eyes reflecting each other’s, green and red. 

“You will bend girl. Then you will become but a hollow shell for my use!”

Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro! Utsuro!

Hina let out a cry of pain as she fell to her knees from this oppressive and indomitable force against her shoulders. 

“No!”

She couldn’t bend—she couldn’t break. Not anymore, a thing to be used and abused by greater, more powerful men! She was her own person! Not a shell to be filled! 

“I’m not hollow!” she cried out.

“Your struggle is in VAIN! I will use you to find the ring!”

“Aghhhh!”

Hina let out an ear-piercing scream as she saw through Middle-Earth, as if she was a being flying through it incorporeal and open to the winds. Then she passed a giant white city, with a white tree and she saw it—armies so big, so vast, and endless that it put Saruman’s forces to shame. She did not have a moment to gaze upon it because she was flown straight into the tower under the eye and before her was a man of great stature, taller than any she had ever seen before, even taller than Strider. 

“NOW YOU ARE MIN—”

Before Sauron could finish his binding, Hina felt his cold grip leave her mind and she was flung outside of this incorporeal state. She struggled to breath, eyes forced shut, as she gasped terribly for breath. A warm hand was on her cheeks, patting them as if stressing her to wake up.

“Open your eyes Hina! Look at me!”

She shook her head through tremors. Eventually she began to recognise that voice as Gandalf’s and with all her effort she forced open her eyes to look again. The relief was only mild that it wasn’t Sauron’s eye that met her again. With trembling hands she pulled into Gandalf’s embrace, teeth chattering with fear. She had been so close… so close to becoming the thing she most feared.

“Gandalf,” Hina gasped as she gripped his robes tightly.

“Look at me Hina—what did you see?” Gandalf implored, as he searched the girl’s now narrowly slitted eyes.

“A… tree… a white tree, and white stone… a-and forces so big they dwarfed Saruman’s army… and… a-and Sauron,” she hissed his name.

Hollow

Hina jerked at the voice, eyes darting around as she took a sharp intake of breath in. 

“It’s him. I can hear his voice in my head,” she whimpered, as she shut her eyes.

“Hina focus. Tell me what you saw?” Gandalf asked.

“The white city—it’s on the brink of his fire… he will carve me out Gandalf! He will carve me out from the inside,” she cried as she shut her eyes tightly and pushed her face into the Wizard’s chest.

Hina was grateful for once to be held in the arms of Gandalf because it draped over her like a mild comfort in the aftershock of something so terrible as what she’d faced. If Gandalf had not snapped her out of it a moment later, she would have had her very soul taken from her by Sauron. That she was sure of, because she could still feel the taint of his hand in her chest. It felt exactly like the taint of Orochimaru in her system after he’d given her the cursed seal.

“You are not with him now, little one,” Gandalf said in comfort, before he shot Pippin a glare.

The Hobbit looked down in horrified guilt at what he had just done. He had never seen Hina devolve into such a whimpering mess before, and he’d seen her with her arm cut off looking calmer than she was now. Her whole body trembled against Gandalf like a shaking leaf in the wind. Aragorn came down to a kneel beside Gandalf not a moment later, taking the girl from his arms.

“I-I give me a moment,” Hina mumbled, as she pulled away and wiped her trembling hands on her sweaty brows. 

She stood up shakily, legs staggering as she got up. Only Aragorn helping her maintain her balance had allowed her to walk out of the room and away from the eyes of countless men who had seen her nearly cry. She didn’t stop, even for the growing pain in her neck, or the way her seal activated and pulsed so painfully. She let out a whimper as she fell to her knees out on the balcony. 

“Hina, are you ok?” 

It was Aragorn. He was behind her. She felt his hand about to touch her shoulder and she turned and hissed like a snake. Aragorn staggered back for a second and Hina realised her seal had been activated. Her skin was pulsing with the dark fire like marks. She grabbed her neck and let out a groan, as she put her forehead down on the cool stone floor.

“You’re in pain,” Aragorn cursed as he knelt next to the girl who was rocking her body through its silent tremors. 

“Leave Aragorn-san, I-I can’t bear it any longer,” Hina hissed through gritted teeth as she blinked back a growing, blinding pain. Soon she would be writhing and shouting in pain, and that was something she’d prefer to weather out alone where she didn’t have to worry about looking weak.

“No, I will not leave you.”

Hina cursed as she felt the presence of Gimli, Legolas, and Gandalf rush in as well. She let out a cry of pain, drawing blood from her neck as her chakra activated painfully in her chest.

Gandalf felt a growing evil from within the girl and knew instantly that something foul was coming. He had always hoped beyond hope that she wouldn’t succumb like he knew she would when faced with such a dark and unbearable burden. Yet now she was, and it wasn’t how he’d imagined it. A great evil was coming to them, yes, but it wasn’t her. 

Aragorn watched in shocked horror as Hina let out a cry and opened her jaw too widely for a human to possibly open. A white snake’s head emerged from within her mouth, bulging out the girl’s neck on its way until it slithered out slowly, leaving her limp and gasping on the ground. Aragorn drew his sword to cut the snake when it opened its jaws and the yellow eyes of a serpent shone through its throat, and a laugh echoed from within. He stepped back, as a pale man with long dark hair stuck his head out of the now empty snake, ripping its jaws open and stepping out like a monster shedding its skin. 

Aragorn pointed his sword at the man and his eyes widened when he saw the same markings on his eyes and earrings that Hina had, except his were purple. It took but a moment for him to recognise this figure from Hina’s story. This was Orochimaru.

“Orochimaru-shishou,” Hina whispered, her voice raspy as she rubbed her throat.

“Imagine my surprise when my student disappears for a month,” Orochimaru said in their native tongue, as he leaned down and grabbed Hina by her scalp and hoisted her up. “and I find her allowing another man’s energy into her body.”

“Unhand her or face my axe,” Gimli shouted angrily.

Hina held out her hands towards the group to stop them. She couldn’t shake her head because Orochimaru had his hands gripped in her scalp holding her in place. He looked pissed. She knew she’d get punished for things later, but she didn’t think he would come here. If she knew she would have been a danger to the Fellowship, she would have left them all earlier. They didn’t know who they were provoking. Orochimaru would slaughter them.

“S-Stay back. Don’t hurt him,” she urged her friends desperately, hoping the desperation in her eyes spoke more than her words could convey.

Her attempt at calming them was ruined when Orochimaru jerked her up to her feet by her scalp. She didn’t let out a pained whimper as she gritted her teeth at the throbbing ache it brought to her head.

“You’ve made friends,” Orochimaru noted.

“They weren’t the ones who tried to control me. It was a man named Sauron,” Hina explained.

Orochimaru let go of her hair, although the look of irritation didn’t leave his face as he continued to stare down at her, entirely ignoring the men at his back. He barely paid any mind to their obvious killing intent. 

“Explain what’s going or I’m going to kill him now for touching you,” Gimli shouted angrily, a rise of fury and indignation appearing at the so brazen disrespect towards his friend.

“Say the word,” Legolas agreed, his eyes narrowing on Orochimaru.

“You cannot kill him! Even if you wanted to. He’s my master,” Hina said holding her hands out, unsure of any other word to use for ‘Shishou’. “Let me talk to him first.”

Legolas and Aragorn were not at all quelled by this. They’d put together enough of her story to know about said master. Despite not telling them much, they’d understood through her haunted gaze how he wasn’t a good man. Aragorn of course knew that he was the one who’d cursed her with that mark on her neck, and it was taking a considerable amount of self-control to not move to protect the child.

“Not only do you manage to find yourself in another world, but you go off and prostrate yourself before a new man like a bitch without her master.”

Hina lowered her head. His words stung as painfully as a hornet. She knew he was being cruel because he was angry—that these words were carefully crafted to hurt her. It only hurt because there was some measure of truth to it. She had nearly given up the entirety of her being to Sauron. Maybe she was someone who needed a master… someone to be controlled. She’d crawled from under one master to another. Pathetic.

She shook her head. No, what she did was of her own will now. Even her stay with Orochimaru was her choice. He wasn’t her master. She was beholden to no one but her family. Now was not the time to get depressed by sharply crafted words. If Sauron had a hold on her, she couldn’t go back to the Elemental Nations safely, and neither could she remain here safely either. She needed a way to get rid of it.

“How do I get rid of him?” she asked.

“I will get rid of him. It’s time I fix your mess and take you back where you belong,” Orochimaru said angrily. “You’ve wasted enough of my time.”

“But you have not seen Sauron! His armies are big, and he’s too powerful for even just you!”

“I will see for myself,” Orochimaru said idly. He turned to give Hina a sharp glare and slapped a seal on her forehead before pushing his own against hers.

“That’s it!” Gimli shouted angrily as he swung his axe at the man.

Orochimaru caught the weapon without even turning around, and Hina looked wide eyed at her friends with a subtle shake of her head. Gimli tried to pull his axe back and Orochimaru let go, making him stumble backwards. Orochimaru stood up tall and imposing, and Hina wasn’t surprised when he spoke in Westron. The cursed seal allowed him aspects of her knowledge, or at least the ones she hadn’t sealed away from him. 

“It seems my student has once again made a mess of things,” he said in Westron, shocking the group.

“What brings you here then twisted creature?” Gandalf asked, feeling the sheer darkness from Orochimaru’s now less than human soul.

Seeing the teacher before him, Gandalf was reminded of Hina’s own energy except far more artificial and wrong. Now he understood her fate should she remain under this man. Little by little she would give him her humanity until she was but a reflection of him.

“I felt my dear student’s call for help through her seal. I’d been content to let her runaway for a little while. She’d always been a bit of a free spirit—not suited to sit in a lab like a good little girl and take her medication,” he said with an unnerving smile.

Hina grimaced. She had been growing more and more interested in her own personal studies, ducking away from the lab that would promise pain and power so she could be by herself for a little while. Orochimaru’s body modifications were in no way painless or easy to get through. It wore her down. Time away from the lab was like an addicting reprieve these days. What had once been a study of passion, was now a science she detested. A necessary evil that was growing harder to justify with every passing day.

“But she somehow managed to get herself stuck in another world, and soul bound to another master. I can’t have that, or my seal will become his. I will just have to help kill this Sauron for you,” Orochimaru explained.

“And this is the truth?” Aragorn asked as he looked at Hina. 

“Yes Aragorn-san… the Palantir… it brought me too close to him, and now it’s the only way to get rid of him,” Hina mumbled.

Now Frodo not only had the fate of this world in his hands, but also the fate of her soul. She shivered as Orochimaru put a hand on her head.

“I would like to talk to my student in private now.”

“You will do no such thing,” Aragorn said, as he grabbed Hina by her arms and pulled her away from the man.

Before Aragorn could blink, Orochimaru had a knife to his throat. The ranger looked to his left to be met with unnerving golden eyes. He grit his teeth as Hina shouted his name, but he showed no fear, just rage. The unnerving laugh from the man’s lips made everyone draw their weapons again.

“You think you can presume to tell me what I do with what’s mine?” Orochimaru hummed.

“She isn’t yours,” Aragorn replied with a deep warning in his tone.

“Let him go Orochimaru-shishou, or I will make you,” Hina demanded coldly as she pointed a kunai to the man’s back, behind where she could easily puncture his lung.

Orochimaru laughed as he turned around to his defiant student. Then it died when in blinding speed he grabbed her head and slammed it into the ground. Hina let out a cry before an arrow was shot at Orochimaru who easily grabbed it mid-air. She hissed in anger before twisting her leg up and kicking him off her. Orochimaru flipped in the air and landed on the balcony gracefully as he licked the blood of his lips.

“You touch a hair on their heads and you’re mine,” Hina growled.

“Oh got yourself some new pets… tell me Hina, what did I do to that last one of yours?” Orochimaru replied, gleaming joy from the stricken expression on her face.

Hina let out an enraged scream as she went through her hand seals and created a sharp blade of wind in her hand. 

“Hina don’t—” Aragorn warned.

But he was too late as he watched the two figures blur in the most acrobatic and fastest display of sword fighting, he had ever seen before. Hina’s wind blade clashed against Orochimaru’s katana as they went up against each other in a match. In her anger she did not see Orochimaru’s kick coming, and she was thrown into the wall behind her breaking the stone. She coughed out blood before wiping her mouth, hissing, and getting up, but it was too late as his hands grabbed her by the head again and he slammed it once again into the wall behind her. She felt her world blur as he grabbed her by her scalp and shoved her onto her knees. 

“It’s been a while since you’ve been so petulant. Let’s fix that.”

Water.

Hina let out a tortured cry as she felt herself getting engulfed in a water prison as Orochimaru drew out the water from the lake below them. Hina watched, unable to do anything in the prison of her nightmares as Orochimaru easily blocked all of her friends' blows and knocked them down one by one. Even Gandalf was thrown aside. She let out a scream as Orochimaru was about to stab Legolas when she threw her remaining shuriken at his back. The Sannin dodged and turned around with a smile as she swallowed in water. She felt her vision about to blank when suddenly she was thrown to the floor and the water dropped around her too. She coughed out water and gasped for air simultaneously as she held her abused throat.

“What’s going on here?!”

She turned to see King Théoden and several of his men including Éomer come out drawing their swords. Orochimaru turned and greeted them with a short bow.

“Well it seems I’ve come here to aid you in your war alongside my student,” he said grinning at Hina.

Aragorn doubted there was anyone who could do anything against such a powerful foe. He could not fault Hina for never leaving such a terrifying man. He was much too powerful to do anything against, but he had seen the cruelty he used against his own supposed student, and it made his blood boil to have to consort with him. Hina looked more uncomfortable than he’d ever seen her. Whatever smile and jokes she had before gone too, replaced by a stony exterior and a stiff posture. It didn’t escape his notice that she had placed herself in-between him and the rest of the Fellowship as they went into the hall for private council with the King.

“So to show your allegiance you fight my men and hurt a child?” Théoden asked dryly.

“Don’t get me wrong. I could care less about your inconsequential war,” Orochimaru dismissed him casually. “I have simply come to collect what’s mine and leave. It just so happens that our goals align. I need to kill this Sauron to get Hina back to where she belongs.”

“And that is with you?” Théoden asked with a raised brow. “What say we give that choice to the girl?”

Orochimaru drew his fingers close to her neck as if to tell her to remember and Hina did. She shivered and ignored the flight of fear that crossed her face. She knew she would not be able to leave Orochimaru now, not until she made good on her own promise and became strong enough to defeat him herself.

“I will go back with Orochimaru-shishou,” she said, earning a roar of disapproval from Gimli and more than a few worried looks. “But until then Orochimaru-shishou, I will be travelling with Aragorn-san.”

“So you’ve prepped the seal back home?” he asked.

Hina shook her head and winced. Orochimaru snarled. “What have you been doing all those months then or are you too stupid to do it yourself?”

“Let me at him,” Gimli shouted.

“Gimli,” Hina warned the Dwarf with a great deal of worry, as she shook her head with disapproval before she turned back to Orochimaru. “I have a feeling the powers of this world would not take kindly to your interference. They’re barely taking kindly to me. Trust me Shishou. These are gods. Neither you nor I have the ability to face.”

“Are you asking me to make the seal for you?” Orochimaru asked unimpressed.

“Hai. (Yes)”

“There will be a price to pay after.”

“I will take it.”

Aragorn didn’t like what Orochimaru offered. A price to pay… he wasn’t so sure it would be a painless one for the girl. He gripped his palms together in anger at how closely the man was standing by her. His hands on her neck possessively. Hina wasn’t his. Aragorn had never before met such a free spirit and loyal soul. To take that away from the child felt like such a great and unfortunate loss.

“Yes, we still have the matter at hand of the Palantir,” Gandalf said warily, as he eyed Orochimaru, before deciding to get back on topic. “Tell us what you saw Hina.”

“A white tree, and a white city. Boromir had mentioned it to me,” Hina admitted, as she rubbed her sore throat. “Minas Tirith. I fear Sauron plans to attack there next.”

It was Gandalf that took control of the conversation once more. He sent the foreign man a distrustful look before admitting that he was a necessary evil and would have to stay for this coming council. 

“We’ve been strangely fortunate in that neither Pippin nor Hina has informed Sauron about Frodo. Hina saw in the Palantir a glimpse of the enemy’s plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm’s Deep showed our enemy one thing—he knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth,” Gandalf says with hope before he turns to Aragorn and continues with a nod. “Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still. Strength enough, perhaps, to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a King return to the throne of men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit Rohan must be ready for war!”

“If it were not for Boromir’s part I would not have agreed, but I still fear for my people. Why should I risk their lives for an age-old alliance that has not been called upon these days?” Théoden asked. 

“I will go!” Aragorn said, as he looked at Hina. Yes, he had a duty to his people, and it would be safer for her to travel far away from this man.

“No!” Gandalf disagreed.

“They must be warned!” Aragorn replied in frustration.

“They will be,” Gandalf reassured as he put a hand on Aragorn’s shoulder and whispered, “You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river. Look to the black ships.”

Hina was sure Orochimaru caught the whispers too. Then Gandalf turned to the King.

“Understand this, things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith,” Gandalf said as he turned to Pippin, “and I won’t be going alone. The enemy believes the ring is in Pippin’s hands. He will be safest with me.”

"And what will you do, Orochimaru?" Théoden asked not trying to even hide the suspicion in his tone.

"I require only paper and ink. I will work on getting us back home."

Théoden narrowed his eyes. "The last time this child asked for paper and ink we were given thunder and fire. Why should we trust you with such resources when you've proven to be hostile?"

Orochimaru laughed as if he'd been told a joke. "You presume you have a choice in this matter. If I wished I could kill everyone here in a minute, make this thatched house mine, and enslave your people in the matter of a week."

Hina sighed as she rubbed her forehead. Thankfully, there weren't any guards nearby in their secret meeting or Orochimaru would have been on a killing spree. The King looked plenty insulted on his own, but Hina shook her head imploringly at him. They were lucky Orochimaru didn't want to actually hurt them. If he did intend to do what he'd just said, she had no doubt he would make good on his word.

"Please give him the resources he needs. I will vouch for his peace if no one harms him first," Hina stepped in, hoping to be the diplomat.

"I will give you the paper and a room, but after this war is over you are not welcome in this kingdom," Théoden said with a scowl directed towards Orochimaru.

The man simply nodded in disinterest, before he took Hina to go away.

"Where are you taking her?" Legolas demanded.

"Wherever I please," Orochimaru replied.

Aragorn watched in shock as the two of them disappeared into a swirl of leaves. He had jerked out his hand to grab Hina, but it simply passed through thin air. He let out a shout of anger and punched the wall, before turning around and putting his hands on his face. Legolas put a calming hand on his shoulder, and everyone watched on in worried sympathy.

"We just let him take her," Aragorn cursed in frustration.

"He is beyond our power and skill," Legolas reminded, equally as defeated.

The group fell into silence only disturbed by the question of the King. He had not seen firsthand the man's treatment of his student. 

"This man would bring harm to his own proclaimed student?" Théoden asked.

"He already has. I fear we will not have a hand in Hina's fate, for if she is to be free, she will have to break the shackles of her master with her own strength—otherwise she will remain a slave to his will even without his presence," Gandalf said just as displeased as the others.

"Then we are of little use," Gimli said, hanging his head.

"Just like we have faith in Frodo, we must have faith in Hina. Her journey will not end with Sauron's defeat, and we may never see the end of her bonds broken, but regardless we must have faith."

With that solemn thought, Gandalf gestured for Pippin to follow him. Gondor was in deep trouble.

Hina was punched against a tree. She didn't stop Orochimaru from taking her on in a very one-sided ‘spar’ again. It was rare for him to be this angry at her. Normally she didn't give him the cause for it. He did not stop until he cracked her ribs, and she was dropped from a tree coughing up blood.

"To think you had me searching for months for you and yet you've been here for over a year now. What possessed you to stay in such a backwater world? The people I assume—Aragorn was it? You've always been attracted to the weak. In one second I could have snapped his neck."

"They have no chakra... not exactly fair," Hina said as she spat out some blood and propped herself against a tree in pain. 

"Who said you could relax? Get up."

Hina gritted her teeth and stood up again only to be kicked down again.

"You've been growing disobedient. Thinking you can challenge me when you're not even close. Didn't you say you would eventually become a master of your own?" Orochimaru asked. "Did I raise a pathetic student or a strong one?"

"Strong," Hina ground out.

"Wrong. Right now you're less than pathetic; you're weak," Orochimaru growled as he put his foot on Hina's face and held it against the forest floor.

"I'm sorry," Hina muttered between clenched jaws.

"Ah, the sound of an apology. To think it took you this long. Your mother must have raised a wild child.”

Hina gripped the dirt in her fingers and bit down her explosive anger. He was baiting her. She needed to calm down. He knew her parents were a sore spot. It’s part of the job, she reminded herself. This was part of the job. She couldn’t get angry. She needed to maintain her calm, think keenly, and stay on the straight and narrow. She took in a deep, calming breath, and exhaled all her rage out through her nose, before biting back the part of her brain that told her to fight him to the death for his insult. 

"Forgive me Orochimaru-shishou... let me make this right. I'll make sure we win this war and see that Sauron is defeated."

Orochimaru pulled his feet off her face and gently helped her sit up before he undid her kimono and she grunted as he pulled it off entirely leaving her in her underwear.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Mmm everywhere."

Hina hissed in pain as he harshly poked her ribs. Orochimaru grinned and she glared at him.

"Either you tell me specifically or I'll let you just walk around with broken bones."

"My ribs," she relented.

Hina hated the next part more than she hated the actual bone breaking part. She grit her teeth as Orochimaru used what limited knowledge of Iryo-jutsu he had to push his chakra tendrils into her body. The warmth was just a precursor for the excruciating pain to come as he cracked it back in place, realigned broken bone and stitched it back together. Once that was done, she gestured for her arm and that too was broken back into place and mended together.

Once the punishment was over Hina was a sweating mess, panting and shivering with the leftover pain. She hated Orochimaru like she hated Danzo. She hated him so much right now... but she also loved him. She hated that she loved him. He had twisted her this way. She logically knew the manipulation, how he did what he did to get her on his side while still raking control over her, but she couldn't help it. Sometimes she was just not as logical as she wanted to be. 

Her mission had only made things harder. How did someone actively sabotage the person that they lived and served under? It was harder with every day that went by, and with every little piece she gave to him. 

"You shouldn't travel with strangers Hina. Who knows what they'll do to you," Orochimaru chided her lightly, as if he hadn't just beaten her to a pulp to get out his anger on her a moment ago.

"They're good men," she mumbled through her pain.

"They're men. Men always have ulterior motives."

"Not all men."

Hina groaned in pain as Orochimaru picked her up bridal style. She had no choice in her tiredness to do much than to let her head loll to his chest. She hated this. How he would confuse her with soft words one minute, praising her other times, and then how he would beat her down with a smile and a promise of strength. 

"Show me to your room. It's best if you don’t move too much for the remainder of the day."

Hina nodded. Orochimaru knew only the basics of Iryo-jutsu. He knew more about taking the body apart piece by piece than he did putting it together. When she was punished by him it was usually Kabuto who healed her up. She needed to remind herself to stop studying Fuinjutsu for a moment so she could learn how to heal herself up. She knew how to regrow her own limbs and tissue but realigning broken bones was an entirely different field. 

"We're here, put me down," Hina grumbled as she weakly pushed off Orochimaru.

She no doubt looked like shit. Blood down her head and face swollen from one of his punches, but she could hide it away with a henge if he just gave her a moment to stand and breathe. 

"And jostle your wounds. Not a good idea."

"Put me down," Hina hissed.

Hina gaped in horror as Orochimaru smiled down at her—not one of his kind smiles. She pushed at him weakly, but she didn't have the power to force herself out of his arms. So to her horror he walked straight into Rohan holding her beaten form as if parading his actions and her weakness. Hina grit her teeth in shame as she turned her face away from the people. She had stood before them proud and tall and now Orochimaru had shown just how weak she was. This was worse than any beating he had ever given her.

"And where is your room?"

"Just there," Hina mumbled.

She'd pointed at a random house, hoping to end this shameful situation before it became too much for her to bear. 

"It’s not good to lie little-neonate."

"Put me down," she begged. 

"I don't think I will. I might just have to find your friend—Aragorn was it? Yes, I'll find him. I'm sure he'll know where your room is."

"I'll point you," Hina gritted out in defeat.

She bit through the shame of knowing that the people of Rohan saw her being bridal carried broken and bloody by the very man who did it—like some dog who'd been disciplined. She just prayed that no one she knew personally would see her like this. She couldn't bear that sort of embarrassment... such a debasing of her as a person. To her horror Aragorn did spot her. Their rooms were close by. 

"Hina! What did you do to her?!" Aragorn shouted.

"Just a bit of discipline," Orochimaru replied lightly.

Hina turned her face away from Aragorn in shame. She couldn't bear for him to see her this way—for him to truly see how little control she had, and for a proud person like her... no she wasn't a proud person... not anymore. She had been once, a woman on her own right, an individual with strength.

"Give her to me," Aragorn ordered.

"Just let me down Shishou," Hina mumbled.

To her distaste Orochimaru only put her down on her bed, gently, almost giving off the image of a kind parent in that moment if the blood on her body didn't say otherwise. She watched on in horror as Aragorn grabbed Orochimaru by his collar and drew close, face burning in rage.

"You will not touch her again!"

Hina groaned as she tried to get up from the bed and push Aragorn away. She knew she wouldn't be fast enough to stop Orochimaru from killing him, but the man didn't. Instead he grabbed Aragorn's hands and easily pushed it to the side before stepping around him in swift speed.

"And I suppose you'll stop me?" Orochimaru challenged with a laugh.

Before Aragorn could even turn the man had gone, leaving him in the room alone with Hina. He ran up to her side quickly, pulling her towards him to check her wounds.

"Please go," she mumbled.

"No, he hurt you," Aragorn said softly.

"He healed me later... I'm fine. Please go," Hina repeated, hoping the tremble in her voice didn't show, or that she wasn't shivering, or that the shame hadn't eaten her away.

"You don't have to face him alone. Take us with you next time," Aragorn urged.

Hina hated that Aragorn couldn't see how much more it hurt her to show him how weak she was, than to ever be beaten down by Orochimaru in private. She supposed it just made her own weakness all the more real when it was put out in the public so brazenly. It wasn't the pain that made her wish to weep again for anything other than relief, but the utter shame of everyone knowing who owned her. It reminded her of the seal Danzo had put on her tongue... but at least that had been discreet. She hadn't been nothing but someone else's property in her friend’s eyes.

"There is no more us," Hina muttered. "He's here so there's no more freedom, and no more goodness. This was all a lie... a lie I told myself to feel better. I will never be free."

Free from her own debilitating self-hate, free from the pressures of future knowledge, free from Orochimaru or even free from Akatsuki. There was no freedom for her. She just gave up one master for the other.

"We can banish him away with a seal of yours. You don't have to go back," Aragorn said hopefully. "You don't have to do this alone."

"You must think I'm weak... you've seen me now after all... so pathetic to be paraded around like that," she said with a choked sob that devolved into laughter.

Aragorn hated it. Hated that he saw the twisted nature of something that was meant to be good. Hina laughed, she laughed a lot, found amusement in things so easily and just as easily jested and made jokes. Now when she laughed, he knew it was because she could not cry—she wasn't able to do something so intrinsically human and he didn't know why. 

Hina couldn't help it, couldn't help that she put her face in Aragorn's chest and let him hold her despite how much it just proved how weak she was. She laughed a choking laugh because she didn't know what else to do. Usually she got angry and broke some things, but she was too weak for that and so all she could do was laugh at how pathetic she was being.

"Look at me Hina. You are not pathetic, or lowly, or someone who is to be pitied. You are a fighter, are you not?" Aragorn asked. 

Hina looked up for the first time to meet his gaze, a glimpse of hope sparking in her eyes. Aragorn could feel it, he could feel her pain. He knew how much more she would devolve if even a hint of pity rolled into his tone. He knew her more than she would allow him to. Hina did not like pity, it made her feel weak, and so Aragorn would not give her pity, but strength to hope, because that was all he could give to help her. 

"I am a fighter," she whispered.

"And a fighter never stops fighting until they breathe their last breath. You might face failure now, but it will only make the victory taste all the sweeter."

A glimmer of recognition sparked in her eyes. Aragorn knew she was recounting a moment just like that, where she had failed time and time again for that one victory. 

"You are not weak. You will one day overcome it all and you will rise above it a better person than when you began. I see goodness in your heart Hina. Love and loyalty, the two words I would use to describe you. That is not the twisted mechanisms of a man who knows none of those things."

There was almost a greedy relief in her eyes as she looked at him to hear more. Aragorn wondered if she had been starved of any positive words… if no one had been there before to encourage her. While it was a sad thought, it only resolved him more to be that person for her. He had pulled her from the river and saved her life, but he had yet to pull out her spirit which had been drowning much the same.

"You are a wonderful person Hina, and you are your own person. You have friends on your side. Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf, Boromir, Merry, Pippin—even Sam and Frodo. The whole kingdom of Rohan is on your side after your efforts in the war. You have saved countless lives in the battle. Is that the actions of someone pathetic and weak?"

"No," she said a little more resolutely.

A sob echoed out and Hina devolved into tears as her grief left her. She had never had someone tell her anything so kind in years. She felt an immeasurable relief as somehow Aragorn managed to rid her of this hate she had been feeling so deeply for herself... even if it was just for a minute. He believed in her and his belief made her believe in herself. 

"Thank you," she whispered into his chest.

She let him hug her back before she drew away and wiped at her tears.

"We will defeat Sauron," Hina said with conviction, "and I will defeat Orochimaru after... and even if I leave, I vow to somehow come back to tell you once I accomplish this task."

"That's the Hina I know," Aragorn said with a smile. "Now rest up. You are hurt."

Hina nodded tiredly as she let Aragorn tuck the sheets around her. She had been so exhausted sleep had taken her almost instantly. Looking at her like this, face turning red in preparation for the purple and blue that would spread tomorrow, and the way her body shook in pain, made Aragorn's chest hurt. He wasn't used to such anger. He had been angry before—when good men died to Orcs, or when tragedies occurred from Sauron's hands, but this was a different sort of anger... something that made his heart twist at the vileness of it all. She was just a child... a strong child—but a child nonetheless and she didn't deserve the pain she was going through. It hurt to know he had only witnessed and inkling of the torture she had lived through in her world. 

He thought he'd understood before why she didn't want to go back home. Usually a stranger would do everything in their power to find a way back home, but she looked free and bright here like she belonged. Still, he knew the call of kin and responsibility. She would go back to her torture for them because that was the honourable thing to do, and whether she was blind to it or not, the fact remained that Hina was one of the most loyal people he had ever met. Not even a month of travel in and she had fought Nazgul for him, and a year down she followed him into a war she thought she wouldn't come out alive at. Legolas, Gimli, the Hobbits and Boromir too—he had the most loyal friends. Aragorn considered himself in that moment blessed.

He pushed the girl's matted hair out of her face and decided he would wash the blood off while she slept and heal her some. It hurt him to know there was nothing he could do for her beyond that. Gandalf had been right. This was a fight she had to face not now but in the future. All Aragorn had was faith and hope. It was when he was going to take a bucket of water into the room that Legolas and Gimli stopped short of him, their faces deep with worry. 

"Is she hurt?" Legolas asked, eyes widening in worried anticipation.

Aragorn clenched his jaw and nodded, though he stopped them before they rushed in.

"She's asleep now... healing. Once she wakes up, I will need one of you to stay by her side at all times. Keep her busy and out of sight from him."

Legolas nodded as Gimli made a sound of pain himself. They had joked and laughed with the child and taken her in as one of their own. 

"He marched her about like she was some kind of possession he wanted to mark," Aragorn murmured as he put his hand on his forehead to calm himself. 

"We won't let him get close again. My eyes and ears are open," Legolas reassured Aragorn.

"That man will taste my axe one day," Gimli growled.

Aragorn had a feeling someone as strong as Orochimaru could not be taken down by them. It was almost like trying to match Sauron in a physical test of strength. It would be near impossible.

"I will keep an eye on her tonight. Elves do not need much sleep," Legolas said.

"Mae Govanne Legolas," Aragorn said thankfully. 

And Aragorn was indeed thankful, thankful for the men he had come to call friends.

Chapter Text

Middle-Earth Adventures Chapter 12

Hina woke up with the sudden realisation that she'd made some invaluable friends. While it was embarrassing to know that Legolas had seen her in such a vulnerable state all night, no doubt standing by her bedside and not sleeping, after her talk with Aragorn she had been reminded that this wouldn't be enough to make them look down on her. This wasn't pity, it was love... and she'd be remiss to mix up the two and cause more unnecessary drama.

"Legolas," she greeted.

"Hina," the Elf replied as he knelt down to eye level and took her hands in his. "You scared us."

"I am very scary," she joked.

Legolas smiled, but his smile turned quickly into worry. "We cannot let him near you again. He will hurt you," Legolas lamented.

"No... he doesn't do this often. He was more angry than usual. I doubt he'll spar with me again," Hina placated.

Legolas didn't buy it. "Spar? That is what you would call that?"

"I just like to let him think he's punishing me," she whispered conspiratorially, “when in fact I'm just using it as training to one day beat his ass."

Legolas knew she was trying to play of her situation for laughs now that she'd managed to reel back from the shock of seeing him again. But he knew her real feelings. He had seen the way she lost her joy and humour the moment Orochimaru came. That had been her unfiltered response to her master. What she was doing now was simply adjusting to the situation to continue as normal. He had a feeling she could be in Mount Doom and still display this forced humour of hers.

"There will be no more training. We will keep you away from him," Legolas promised.

"I doubt you could even if you wanted to. He's one of the three Sannin. Basically Kage level and who knows he could probably beat the Kages if he wanted to," Hina replied. "Just... don't make him angry. He'll come by to heal me again today and then probably to train me until we move out again."

"Training..."

"Ugh... ok proper training. Before wasn’t… training,” Hina admitted before looking away.

“I’ll join you then. As a sparring partner of course,” Legolas said.

Hina nodded his way gratefully, a smile of her own coming to her face when it was quickly wiped away by Orochimaru’s arrival. Legolas stood up almost defensively, his brows knitted together with the slightest show of anger. Orochimaru simply smiled in response.

“So an Elf. Fascinating to think there are more humanoid races than Humans in this world. I wonder if it’s true that your kind are immortal.”

“It is a gift from the Valar to the firstborns. It is folly for Men to seek immortality,” Legolas retorted firmly.

“Folly?” Orochimaru laughed. “It is folly to aim for nothing less than the best. Or even the smartest child will grow into a baseless adult.”

Hina’s lips thinned in irritation when Orochimaru levelled her a pointed look. He’d always been more than a little disappointed by her non-desire to achieve immortality. Hina despised the idea. She felt sorry for Legolas if she was being honest. Living one lifetime felt like too much effort. The idea of living several of them, never ageing, watching your loved ones grow old and die… yeah, she didn’t like the idea at all.

“Well then take off your kimono Hina-chan,” Orochimaru ordered.

Hina undid her obi and pulled off her kimono, snorting in amusement when Legolas turned his back to her. She’d never understand why people were so shy with naked bodies. She had become so used to stripping down for medical purposes she admitted that she’d lost all shyness, even by the standards of her home. There was no shame in getting naked for a doctor just as there was no shame in this. At least she could appreciate how unfazed Orochimaru was with this, considering he’d seen more naked body parts than she’d cared to know herself.

She let him heal her. For someone who didn’t specialise in Iryo-jutsu he was pretty good all things considered. She supposed it came along with the need to master almost everything. To his credit Orochimaru hadn’t become a master of none because his skill in Ninjutsu was what set him apart.

“We will begin your training back again tomorrow. You’ve gotten fat,” he said poking her stomach.

Hina let out an affronted noise. “I am not fat,” she groused.

She looked down at her stomach and realised her muscle definition had dropped and there was a tiny bit more fat on her body. She was still far from being fat, not to mention in the eyes of anyone but a Shinobi she was still extremely lean. It’s just that she was used to having around 9% body fat with how hard she used to exercise every day. She didn’t have the time to do that in this world where everyone walked at a goddamn snail’s pace. Kunoichi took special care to ensure their monthly cycles weren’t destroyed by their lack of body fat, and that took pills and other supplemental food they didn’t have here. Hina needed this fat.

“6am sharp. Don’t be late.”

“They don’t have watches here!”

“Well then, when the sun comes up.”

Hina groaned. That was earlier than 6am. She should have just kept her mouth shut. Thankfully Orochimaru left and she could get dressed again.

“He felt like an entirely different man,” Legolas noted.

“This is him in a good mood. He’s a bi-polar shithead,” Hina grumbled. “Fat,” she whispered in indignation. “I’m not fat.”

“You certainly aren’t. Come you should get some food. Then a second breakfast like the Hobbit’s enjoy. We will show him fat,” Legolas said with a smile.

Hina grinned back up at the Elf. “You are a man who speaks my language.”

Boromir worried for his father’s health. He had come back home to be received with the fall of Osgiliath. This was grave news indeed, but then to have his father nearly condemn Faramir to his death for his noble actions in letting Frodo go—that had been too much. Boromir had never begged in his life, but in that moment, he had gotten on his knees and did just that. He would not have the lives of innocent men—of his little brother, be thrown aside so casually for a good deed. It wasn’t Faramir’s fault that Denethor had become so blind as to blame him for not taking the ring for himself. Boromir remembered it’s call. If Frodo had offered the one ring, he would have taken it without hesitation, and then he would have lost himself in madness. Faramir had proven himself more worthy than he ever was by rejecting its power.

Despite this one good thing to be heard, the path to the Mogal Vale had been breached. Osgiliath held the way through the Anduin river from the East. For years, the people of Gondor had been fighting the good battle to keep Sauron’s forces at bay. They were the last frontier, the men who held back the darkness. Once Boromir had been honoured by the title, growing up with a sense of pride for the land that never stopped fighting. The Elves had hidden themselves away in their forests, the Dwarves in their mines, but Men—Men had held strong. They stumbled and fell, lost, and grieved, but they never stopped fighting.

To hear of Osgiliath’s fall had made him tired beyond mention. Not a year and a half ago he had reclaimed that city in its entirety and in such a short amount of time all his life’s progress had gone down the drain. Yet there was also relief—because Faramir lived. If he hadn’t made it out of the River-city, Boromir would have never forgiven himself. He had arrived to Gondor before he could make it anywhere near where his brother had been fighting. To see as Gandalf rode to Faramir’s aid had been like feeling almost a sense of cleansing relief. But now that relief had washed away to horror at the notion of the Orcs taking root in such a place.

“Brother your disposition is pale,” Faramir said as he handed his older brother a drink.

“It is with the growing days that I fear my strength weans. Father isn’t making it any easier… he falters in his thoughts. There’s no decisiveness in his steps,” Boromir said, rubbing his eyes as he leant to the side in his chair.

“And what you say is true? The heir to Isildur lives. He is a man fit for the crown?” Faramir asked as he reclined in his own seat and drank from his goblet.

There was a light in Boromir’s eyes. Faramir had seen it when his older brother had recounted the journey he took with Frodo and the Fellowship. His presence had been what had saved Faramir’s life, as he had given up the ring and ensured it in the hands of a Hobbit. To know his larger-than-life brother had fallen under its thrall had only concreted the fact that he made the right decision in letting it go.

“Indeed, a noble man, with a steadfast heart. Now if only we could get father to see some reason,” Boromir chuckled wryly.

“Ha, that would be the day!” Faramir replied as he toasted his brother.

They fell into silence after that. Too much time had been spent in war-talk, more time shouting at Denethor to listen to reason.

“Gandalf urges him, I urge him, and yet he does not light the Beacons of Minas Tirith,” Boromir lamented.

“Then once more you shall ask him!”

Boromir turned to see Gandalf walk into the room and he stood up gratefully. With Gandalf came a sense of renewed hope. He clasped the old wizard’s shoulder in great thankfulness. Without Gandalf’s light to lead his brother and his men home, they would not have survived an attack from the Nazgul on their tail.

“You are a welcome sight Gandalf,” Boromir greeted with a smile before he also squeezed Pippin’s shoulder.

“Yes well, it would seem I’m a necessary sight in these trying days. Boromir, do not prematurely lose hope. You must go back to your father. He was once the wisest man in Gondor, but age has clouded his foresight, and has weakened his will—he sees only a narrow path now. You must convince him to muster the forces and plan a defence until Rohan hears our call.”

Once again, this heavy weight would rest on Boromir’s shoulder. Boromir was a beast of burden, carrying too much for too long all on his own. The fate of Gondor and its people had been resting on him time and time again, and even though it wasn’t his destiny, he held on as best as any man could. But he wasn’t alone now. Gandalf needed to remind him of that.

“He loves me, but I fear he will not listen.”

“Therein lies your problem. You fear. Fear too soon and lose hope too quickly. One cannot ask the world of you Boromir. You may fail, and that is not something to be feared, because it is an inevitability of man. What you must fear is to never have tried at all. The fate of Gondor does not rest on your shoulders alone Boromir son of Denethor, it rests in the hands of every man here willing to fight. You only need to raise the call to arms.”

“A shadow approaches from Mordor,” Pippin said with wide frightened eyes. “If you don’t do it now, it’ll be too late.”

“And you know what you’ll have to do Pippin,” Gandalf said with a knowing smile of his own.

Pippin gulped and nodded. “Light on my feet, invisible like a mouse.”

Pippin was going to light the beacons of Minas Tirith against the Stewards wish. Boromir nodded in agreement at the decision. It took the bravery of little folk like the Hobbit’s to remind him of who truly fought evil. It was in the hands of all races, great and small. If there was ever a time for a man to rise above his weaknesses, then it was now.

Much to his word Legolas had in fact been with her during her training with Orochimaru. It mostly consisted of the man dumping a large boulder on her back and making her do push-ups for an hour or having her spend most of the day trying to break said boulder with the precise strike of her wind blade. Legolas was impressed at first of course, before he realised how little fun Shinobi training was. Once one got over the impressive feat displayed, it was a very repetitive process, nothing like the quick on the feet kind of training Elves were used to. One minute they fought with blade, then arrow, a different challenge after the other so as to never fall into the monotony of repetitive actions.

As it turned out, Orochimaru wasn’t in fact in the habit of abusing his student… often. While his training was unusually harsh and unrelenting, he’d never taken the pleasure of hitting Hina for the sake of inflicting pain. Still, it did not blur out the memory of him having done so not two days ago, and so Legolas kept a vigilant eye on the man regardless. Even Aragorn and Gimli came by every so often like hovering fathers. It was to everyone’s relief when the Beacons of Minas Tirith were lit ablaze. Aragorn was the first to have noticed it. Hina dropped her stance as she turned around to watch Aragorn rush away from her towards the Hall. She ran with him.

“The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit!” Aragorn shouted as he threw open the doors into the castle halls. “Gondor calls for aid!”

There’s a pause as everyone holds their breath for the King’s answer. Aragorn looked on imploringly, knowing the answer to Gondor’s aid could mean turning the tide of this war. Everything rested on Théoden’s shoulder. Then after a great and terrible pause, Théoden gave his answer.

“And Rohan will answer! Muster the Rohirrim!” Théoden ordered.

Aragorn lets out a sigh of relief. Éomer bowed to his King before he left and the men around the Court stood straighter in preparation. Hina could feel the call of battle in her blood. She could feel its anticipation in her veins.

“Assemble the army at Dunharrow, as many men as can be found. You have two days,” Théoden ordered Éomer. “On the third, we ride for Gondor and war.”

The man wasted no time as he strode out of the castle and mounted his horse along with several other leading men. He pulled out his sword and shouted, “Forward!” before making a hasty leave to his work.

“Gamling!” Théoden shouted.

“My lord!”

“Make haste across the Riddermark. Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow.”

“I will my lord!”

Hina had never seen the King act so quickly and decisively before. It seemed the victory at Helm’s Deep had given him some courage. She smiled. It is a good thing then that she didn’t in fact assassinate him like she’d wanted to. Maybe Legolas and Aragorn were right, maybe it was just a matter of mercy and effort. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to look at Orochimaru.

“While these weaklings ride out to their deaths, I expect much more from you. Show them the strength of a Shinobi.”

She didn’t think they were weak. The men in this world, even without chakra, were strong in their own right. They were human… and all they could do was have the courage and strength of heart to move forward. That was true strength and Hina was beginning to realise just how little she knew of true strength before she came here. Her thoughts had obsessed about growing stronger physically enough to challenge Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. It was always about Jutsu, and technique, and the next power-up… along the way she had forgotten the perseverance that was at the core of all strength. To love and to hope. This world had taught her that.

“I won’t just show them the strength of a Shinobi on the battlefield,” Hina said shaking her head. “No, that is not the way. We’ve forgotten what it meant to fight in the first place, who we were fighting for. For the people we love…”

It was an incredibly cheesy thing to say out loud, one that made even her falter a little. She saw the frown that had taken Orochimaru’s face at her dismissal of his attempt to encourage her. She hoped he’d understand one day, because for as much as she feared and hated him, a part of her had always prayed that one day he would become the good man he had buried deep away in his heart, the good man she often saw a glimmer of in his rare vulnerable moments. But she couldn’t wait around forever, she couldn’t allow him to continue the way he was—because that was not true love. He was, despite all her wishes, not a good man, and that was not something she could stay around to change forever. She was not Naruto. She couldn’t chase her Sasuke to the ends of the Earth and brute force her ideals onto him. She was simply Hina—a girl who’d made many mistakes, who’d won many victories, who’d lost her path and found it, only to lose it again. It was time she accepted it all—her victories and her failures.

“Love is not true strength. It is pretty words little neonate. True power is in power itself,” Orochimaru replied as if stating an obvious fact. “I thought my lesson a few days ago would still be fresh in your memory.”

Hina couldn’t help the side eye she gave Orochimaru at that. He laughed at her miffed expression, but she didn’t dare say a word again. She knew if she spoke again, it would show too much vulnerability and hope. Her love was an exploit to him, not a strength, but a weakness. It had been used against her, her whole life. Holding the people she loved hostage, holding her arms bound and tethered to darkness. It was a double-edged sword, and she’d come to see only darkness in it until she came here. She was reminded of how much of a driving force it was again and how much good it did.

“You’ll see it one day Shishou, and then you’ll know why I fight,” Hina told him resolutely.

“A child pretending to know the ways of the world,” Orochimaru shook his head in amusement. “Little by little you’ll understand neonate, that you’ve been living in tales of nobility and flowery romance. It’s a lie to shackle greatness down. This world has made you foolish. When you come back to the Elemental Nations, you’ll see reason again.”

Hina didn’t respond to that, but she took in a deep breath to calm herself down and to think clearly. She had a feeling he was right. This world had shown her goodness. Strangers who had saved her life instead of killing an unknown, people who hadn’t locked her away because of her foreign nature, men who’d given her the open friendship and comradery she had almost forgotten the taste of in her isolation. This world had hope. It had given her hope. Hope that she had lost sight of in the seemingly endless mission she had taken the weight upon by herself. She feared going back to that lonely darkness again.

“Well, either way, I will get us back home. You will find that I’ve come prepared,” Orochimaru said pulling out a scroll.

Hina watched as Orochimaru put it on the stone ground and rolled it out. He placed his palms on it and brought out a new pack of shuriken, kunai, and ninja wire as well as another bottle with five chakra pills. Then he handed her something she’d never thought she’d see. It was a headband, one with a music symbol etched inside.

“Music?” she asked.

“The Village Hidden by Sound. Otogakure,” Orochimaru grinned.

“You established a whole Village while I was away?” Hina asked, jaw dropping.

She was sure this started a whole lot earlier than it was meant to. She hadn’t even seen it coming. Orochimaru was still in Akatsuki after all. He’d probably never really leave the group now that Itachi wouldn’t join. He’d only left after attacking Itachi after all. Hina was really wondering if she wanted to hear more. She’d probably begin to worry about home again.

“The start of a Village,” Orochimaru corrected.

“I’m the first to receive this right,” Hina narrowed her eyes.

“No Kabuto had the honour,” Orochimaru replied. “Because you were galivanting around in a different world.”

“Okay fair,” Hina relented.

Her contact would kill her. No Jiraiya himself would skin her alive. She was meant to be reporting something this big back to him. This was definitely something big enough to break her 6-month radio silence. But she didn’t regret not going back. It seemed time flowed differently, or at least the seal sent her in a way that didn’t chronologically work out. Maybe she’d end up a few years in the past if she got the calculations back home wrong. Space and time were finicky like that.

She turned her attention back to the piece of cloth and metal. It wasn’t hard to part with her Konoha headband. Looking at the deep cross against the Konoha leaf symbol had been like a slap to her face each time. She much preferred wearing another headband entirely than one that visibly marked her as a traitor. Hina tied the hitaite on her head like bandanna. She’d begun to do it to remind herself of Gaku, although she didn’t cover her entire head and let her bangs fall at her face still. Orochimaru looked pleased by it. He was in a good mood today anyway, and so was she. She was eager to be back on the road with Aragorn, and she would be lying if she said she didn’t worry about Boromir. She always worried about Boromir.

“I’ll be seeing you later. In this Gondor, correct?” Orochimaru asked.

“I’m sure you can find your way.”

“I’m not the directionally challenged one here,” Orochimaru said rolling his eyes before he left, never the one to say a proper goodbye.

Hina was relieved when he left. She quickly fitted the kunai and shuriken pouch around her thighs and pocketed the chakra pill bottle. Then she made away from the private corner they had conversed in towards the horses. She’d rather travel by foot despite how much she loved Ruilan, but horses just weren’t for her. She preferred running ahead—if only people let her in the first place. She grumbled internally as she made her way towards the stables, only to be stopped by familiar figures.

“Lady Hina!”

There was something about being called Lady that just made Hina want to roll her eyes. But Haleth seemed to consider her akin to the Maiar and deserving of respect, and Hina figured she’d get the Middle-Earthen equivalent of the title Senpai here. She didn’t, however, expect such a brazen hug from the teen. After a moment’s pause, she hugged him back.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t visit you earlier. My mother forbade me. Is it true that a bad man hurt you?”

Hina froze and then pulled away. She looked away in roiling disgust as she remembered the shame she felt when Orochimaru had carried her across the kingdom like property he owned. To think even Haleth knew of this shame.

“You shouldn’t believe in rumours,” she replied a little angrily, even though it wasn’t a rumour.

“Your face is still purple and blue…” Haleth said touching her cheeks gently, a frown marring his face. “And now you’re leaving… I knew it would happen, but it makes me sad.”

“I told you I couldn’t give you what you wanted Haleth-kun. I’m only temporary. I won’t forget our friendship, and neither should you, but it’s best not to linger,” she told him as firmly as she could.

“It was worth every moment,” he said with a lopsided smile.

Hina snorted in disbelief. “One day Haleth-kun, when you’re older, women will swoon over your smooth words. But now’s not your time. This may be the last time we see each other, but it also may not be.”

“I hope we meet again,” he said.

Hina clasped the boy by his shoulders and nodded. He was a good lad. She could feel that one day he’d become a great warrior too. But now really wasn’t his time. He was a child, and she was glad that this world allowed children those few precious years. He’d already done more than enough, having fought in the battle of Helm’s Deep, and it was unfortunate that he’d fallen for her. Hina couldn’t give him what he wanted. She couldn’t settle down with someone, or live life the traditional way with children and a family, and a home. She was already in love and even that love was beyond her reach. She doubted even if she could somehow fix all the problems in the world, somehow manage to redeem herself, and allow herself a life of peace— a life in a small home, with the scent of sweet bread in the morning and the laughter of her little children in the house. A murderer and a criminal couldn’t live such a peaceful life. It wasn’t their right.

“Bye Haleth-kun.”

“Farewell Lady Hina.”

Hina was happy to finally be out of Orochimaru’s grip. She was in another world entirely, and it felt almost unfair that he’d find her here. She had thought maybe she’d spend a little more time after the wars end, visit the fabled Shire she’d heard so much about, walk among the forests of Legolas’s home, and take Gimli up on that Dwarven party he’d promised. She wanted to spend a few months at least enjoying a break, as selfish as that was, while she spent that time working on a way back home. Now she was certain she’d be leaving in haste not a few days after Sauron’s defeat… if he could be defeated. She didn’t exactly tell Orochimaru the details. She didn’t want him to know the fate of this entire world and her soul rested on the shoulders of someone who was only as tall as her shoulders.

“I’m happy to leave that snake behind,” Gimli grunted.

“I’m a snake too you know,” Hina replied, a tad bit insulted.

“Unless you were birthed from a snake like he was lass, I don’t see it,” Gimli retorted.

Hina pursed her lips and Gimli’s eyes shot up in realisation. “You were birthed from a snake?!”

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “No, I had a human mother, and mind you so did Orochimaru-shishou. The body I’m in currently though, is entirely artificial. It looks like what I did back when I was human, but my DNA is partially snake-related and I can morph into a snake if I wish to—but it’s not exactly the easiest form to fight in.”

“Another part of this curse he put on you?” Legolas asked with a frown.

Hina shook her head. “No, the cursed seal is actually just a method to draw natural energy from the world around you… but it’s not the best way to uh—become a Sage. It’s hard to explain without explaining the fundamental concepts of chakra. Essentially my body is the way it is because I transferred my soul and consciousness into an entirely new one. It’s a bit hard to grow naturally in this form without medical aid though… hence why I haven’t shot up in height yet.”

“Is this a common practice in your lands then?” Legolas asked.

“No, it’s just me and Orochimaru-shishou I know of who went this far with it. It’s a good way to get strong quickly.”

There was a lot more to it than just that. One’s spiritual chakra affected their physical chakra, and so while Hina could trade the physical out with a new body, she had to keep the spiritual chakra she had from the start. So in a way it kept her from being an entirely different person during a body transference. That had been the only reason she’d allowed Orochimaru to change her entire form. Hina knew that where it counted, she would still intrinsically be herself. But a new body was hard to control if you didn’t grow into it, hence why she’d still taken another body that was young. She still needed to expand her yin with her yang to adulthood before she could take on a permanent adult form. She craved the day she could look like she was in her twenties again. Ah to be an adult…

“It doesn’t feel right,” Legolas replied with a slight shake of his head.

“It is what it is. I don’t think I’ve told you this, but I’m only under him as a cover. It’s to help me spy on the group he’s working with,” Hina explained.

She almost rolled her eyes when they gave her that alarmed look that screamed ‘Why couldn’t they have sent an adult?!’ She wasn’t really in the mood to go down a long-winded explanation on why exactly she was the best fit for this role, or how her life wasn’t actually perpetual misery like they’d seemed to think it was. For the better part of her time with Orochimaru, he was in fact a rather docile man. He didn’t often beat her, nor did he get angry at her all that frequently. She was a model student and assistant after all. In fact it had been a good year in when she did some stupid experiments on her own that he’d first been that angry at her. At the start of their relationship, he had a penchant for torturing her in Genjutsu to just really drive that fear enough for it to last. She knew it was cruel and abusive, but she wasn’t stupid enough not to see the logic behind it. He controlled via a very balanced dose of fear and encouragement. If she really were as ignorant as most children, she would have fallen in line to both those controls easily, but part of her was still an adult, and that part did not so easily sway to control.

“Anyway, enough talk about something that won’t matter in a few days. What exactly is the plan if we’re going to attack Mordor’s forces? I’m sure it won’t just be 10 thousand strong,” Hina asked curiously.

She was grateful that they’d allowed for the change of subject.

“It will not be simply Uruk-hai and Orcs we will face,” Gimli said with a grim shake of his head. “There will be Trolls and Nazgul.

“Sauron has his foothold deep in the lands of men as well. For thousands of years has he been gathering these forces.” Legolas agreed.

There was something frightening about thinking about warmongers and warlords living thousands of years. She’d been less inclined to fear the Elves, because as much as she liked to poke fun at them for being too perfect, it was an actual relief that they were for the most part, peaceful. She had no doubt that if they had been even slightly inclined to domination, that they would be the one ruling force in Middle-Earth. No one just lived thousands of years on end and not have gained an immense advantage from that. Hina was certain given a thousand years all Shinobi would surpass Jounin and more. In that sense it was a good thing people didn’t live so long.

“So there’s still no guarantee that if all the people of Edoras answered the call, that we would have enough people to fight this war?” Hina asked.

“Aye lass, it seems we’re outnumbered once again.”

Hina sighed and cocked her head up to the sky before she smiled. “But if there’s anything I’ve learnt from this world—is that hope will come when it feels like we’ve most lost it. Before you blink something impossible will be on its way to save us!”

“This optimism is appreciated.”

Hina turned to see King Théoden ride up behind them. She was a little flustered to think he’d heard her bit of sappy confidence, but he didn’t seem the type to look down on that. Instead he smiled down at her a lot more warmly than he had during the first few days she had seen him. It seemed all the suspicion on her had been retracted. She appreciated that. It was rather tiring to go everywhere and have to explain her odd presence to every soul that questioned her motives.

“We will have to pray and hope that the people of Rohan will answer their calls. Whether Snowbourn or Fenmarch will come still remains to be seen, but hope must remain. Your attitude is a rare and precious one in this war,” he said before steering his horse away.

“Regretting asking for his head earlier, Hina?” Gimli chuckled.

Hina huffed. “Ok, ok, mercy sounds rather nice now that I think about it.”

“A chance is all someone needs. Take their life and there will be no redemption,” Legolas added in.

“Okay, enough Elven wisdom for a day. I’m going to take over camp cooking before Éowyn poisons us all,” Hina chimed in rolling her eyes.

Gimli and Legolas shivered besides her, no doubt at the memory of the Shieldmaiden’s food. Hina wasn’t eager to go hungry either and good food was good moral. If only she could summon Akimichi into the battlefield instead of snakes, she mused.

Making camp for such a large amount of people was an insane logistical undertaking. Hina was certain that if Shikaku were here he would mutter a very loud ‘troublesome’ before eagerly undertaking such a massive task despite his complaints. She was almost impressed by how the men pulled together like a well-oiled machine, everyone just assigning themselves tasks, with only minimal directions from higher ranking captain. She had gone to help distribute the meals and food first thing, having been used to doing such tasks as a Genin during wartime. She didn’t really know much about how they did any of their other tasks, and she wasn’t going to butt into war talk when Shinobi and Medieval war tactics were two entirely different things altogether. So she had made herself useful in the kitchens. Where women belong… she thought in amusement. The sentiment was lost on her. Kami forbid Anko got into the kitchen. It would certainly make men rethink that idea altogether.

Eventually though, after preparing a hearty meal with the woman who had rode out with the men to see them to battle. At least they were allowed to help make the camping a lot easier. Hina picked up a large, prepared cauldron to take up to the top-most camp. It’s where all the leaders were sleeping, so she figured she’d go give it to them and retire herself with Gimli and Legolas.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

Hina smiled as much as could. Having at least several people question her strength for something as small as a cauldron was rather irritating. She could bench-press about 500 kilograms if she wanted to.

“I’m sure,” she replied as politely as she could before taking it up the mountain without much hinderance.

Once she was up there, she was met with a very excited looking Merry. Watching Hobbits brighten up at the sight of food was one of the most adorable things Hina had ever had the pleasure of watching. There was just something about the little folk that made her entirely too protective.

“You’re the most wonderful sight here,” Merry greeted her.

“Are you sure it’s not the food?” Hina asked with a chuckle.

“Oh it might be partially why,” he said with a cheeky grin.

“Ok then Merry-kun, the food is yours to eat, if you’ll help me serve it,” Hina offered.

He slumped at that, but at her laugh he perked up and decided to help. It was certainly a whole lot more awkward serving a bunch of Captains and Generals than it was serving the common soldiers down below, but Hina was professional if nothing, and when Éowyn joined her later it made things a whole lot less awkward. She had no idea the proper manners to serve a King after all. Aragorn didn’t count, because sometimes all she could see was Strider—the friend who had saved her from drowning in a river and helped her get on her feet. He still hadn’t registered as a King to her.

“Thanks for your aid Hina,” Éowyn thanked her.

“No problem Éowyn-san. I actually enjoy making myself useful—did a lot of kitchen work early in my life,” she said with a hint of nostalgia.

Suddenly she really missed Gaku-sensei, and her team. Oh she’d always missed Anko and Rui, who had for 3 years been an almost constant fixture by her side on their seemingly endless missions. Despite the bloodshed, she thought she was fortunate to have travelled with them and been in their company in such trying times. Now she was travelling with another group, one she had equally come to love as comrades. She wondered if she’d find all her best friends in wartime. She certainly hoped not. For once she’d like to make friends the normal way—bumping into someone at a café or a bar and just chatting until something clicked. It had been a lifetime since anything so mundane like that had happened to her.

“I helped too!” Merry said from behind her.

“Of course you did Merry. For your help I have a gift,” Éowyn said with a soft smile. “Follow me to my tent.”

Hina’s eyes shot up and she pat Merry’s back impressed. The Hobbit returned her coy look with a confused tilt to his head, and an upturned eyebrow, before his eyes widened in realisation and his face turned a deep red. She gave him a discreet thumbs-up and Merry shot his head between Éowyn and Hina in sudden distress.

“Come along Merry. We don’t have all night.”

The Hobbit ran after the woman, only stopping to turn to look at Hina with an alarmed look before he disappeared off into the white tent. Hina finally let out a very girly chuckle before Gimli came up next to her.

“What manner of pranks are you planning now?” Gimli asked.

“Pranks? No, I was just having a chuckle. Seems Merry, our little man, is also a lady’s man,” Hina said wiggling her brows.

Gimli frowned for a moment in thought before he scoffed in disbelief as he looked at the Lady Éowyn’s tent. Hina let out a little yelp when Gimli hit the back of her head with the blunt of his axe.

“Hey, what was that for?” she grumbled.

“You fool, Lady Éowyn was only taking Merry in to get him fitted with armour,” Gimli chided. “Don’t question her integrity!”

“Wait seriously… oh kami, that’s embarrassing. I might have given Merry the wrong impression,” Hina said, eyes wide with worry, before a snort escaped her mouth and she chuckled at the image of his embarrassment. “Ok I don’t regret it anymore.”

“That’s evil…” Gimli said trying to hold back his own laughter. “Now go eat some food lass, before you go misleading more innocent men with your lies.”

“Ok, ok,” she relented before making her way to where she’d put the cauldron over the fire on. She noted Éomer and Gamling sitting by and eating. She hadn’t really talked much with either men, although she did occasionally deal with Gamling—mostly to demand some Fuinjutsu related product from him.

“Ah Hina, come sit with us,” Gamling said, grabbing a plate and filling it up for her.

“Thanks Gamling-san,” she said respectfully with a slight bow of her head before taking the meal and sitting down on the log by the fire. It almost felt like a little campfire. If only she could play a guitar or lute… which speaking of lute she wanted one of those before going back to the Elemental Nations. If she ever met Rui again, he’d appreciate a whole new instrument to learn.

“Is it true that you killed a Ringwraith?” Éomer asked.

“Hai, although it was no easy task,” Hina replied with food still in her mouth.

Éomer gave her the oddest of looks and Hina raised a brow his way coyly.

“Don’t tell me you’re falling for my sheer awesomeness Éomer-san? There’s a line of men still waiting for my hand in battle,” she replied in jest.

For a moment Hina wondered if she’d crossed a social line, before Éomer broke that worry with his laughter. It was a lot less loud than how she’d imagine it to be from someone as manly and gruff looking as him. Gamling joined along.

“I’m certain anyone would want to test their mettle against your skill,” Gamling said in all seriousness. “I’ve never seen anyone speed through so many Orcs.”

“It’s not often I’d say this to a woman, but I would indeed love to test you one day in a friendly battle,” Éomer said truthfully.

Hina smiled at his offer. “I’m always up for a good spar.”

Before Éomer could talk more, Merry came out of the tent decked in armour, and swinging a rather blunt short sword eagerly. He caught Hina’s gaze and shot her a frown, to which Hina just chuckled innocently to. Apparently Merry could take a joke because not a moment later he was smiling her way again and Éowyn was coming out of the tent fully clothed with her virginity still intact. Hina wondered if the woman was still in love with Aragorn. Now that was a love triangle, she wanted to see play out with Éowyn, Arwen, and Aragorn in the same room. She’d never witnessed drama that amazing before in her life and she wanted it now.

“To the smithy now Merry. Go!” Éowyn urged with a smile.

“What brings such a small thing to the battlefield?” Éomer asked to no one in particular with a frown directed towards Merry’s back. “Maybe there is one exception in our midst but there are still some people who should not see battle.”

“It’s the right of everyone to protect their people. Do not doubt him,” Éowyn replied testily.

“I do not doubt his heart, just the reach of his arm,” Éomer said.

Hina took in a rather large spoonful of food into her mouth so she wouldn’t have to really get involved in this conversation. Gamling looked like he wanted nothing to do with it too. Hina thought that Hobbits were brave and strong at heart too, but she wouldn’t want to send Merry into battle when he had no experience in any form of combat beforehand. Not that she thought his small stature was a bad thing. It could be used to his advantage if he knew the right techniques… which right now he didn’t know.

“Why should Merry be left behind? He has much cause to go as you. Why can he not fight for those he loves?” Éowyn asked.

Even Éomer looked like he didn’t have an answer to that. While Hina personally didn’t want the Hobbit to go out to war because of his sheer inexperience with battle, there were also several men who had joined as soldiers who were equally as inexperienced. Hina didn’t know them though… she knew Merry. When Éowyn made to leave, her brother did stand up to reply.

“You know as little of war as that Hobbit. When the fear takes him and the blood and the screams and the horror of battle take hold, do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee, and he would be right to do so. War is the province of men Éowyn.”

“Merry didn’t flee when we fought a group of Orcs together. He and the other Hobbits took up their arms like men,” Hina disagreed, unwilling to hear more about Merry and his supposed cowardice.

Éomer turned to her with a frown, and Hina replied with the same unsmiling expression. She did not for a second doubt the strength of Merry’s heart, like she didn’t doubt the strength of any Hobbit’s. Frodo, the tiny little thing he was, was the one holding their entire existence in his hands. He was the ring bearer because he was the only one who could resist such evil. No one had the right to question the Hobbits when it came to their inner strength and courage. Even Hina had fallen to the call of the one ring while they hadn’t even shown a sign of that corruption. She had only the utter most respect for their race.

“Merry may not be strong enough to fight, but he would do so honourably, and it is not our right to tell him to stay,” she continued on.

“Hina is right,” Éowyn replied. “It is the fate of all races that this war will decide. So it will be in all our hands. Now I must take my leave brother. Do rethink your beliefs.”

Hina had never seen Éowyn so angry. Hina had to admit that if someone had told her in her past life that she couldn’t be a scientist because of her race or gender, she would have been fuming too. There were just some things certain people were barred from, or were disadvantaged at due to culture or circumstances, and it was those things the individuals had to fight for. Hina could appreciate that. In the end, big or small, the battles one had to face day to day was something to be overcome and won. Hopefully to make way for a better future.

“Well now that the mood is entirely ruined, shall I ruin it more?” Hina asked with a smirk as she pulled out her flute.

“Oh gods no. My ears,” Éomer lamented with a smile. “Go to bed child! It’s already so late.”

“Then I’ll take my leave,” she said with a smirk as she fled from the campfire.

Hina made her way towards Aragorn’s tent. She figured she’d annoy him a little into letting her sleep with him considering that besides Legolas, he was the only other man that didn’t snore like a roaring lion. On the way she saw a very familiar figure exit the King’s tent. She recognised his figure almost instantly despite the cloak around him. While the Elves infuriatingly didn’t have a scent she could make out, they did have a unique chakra signature like people in the Elemental Nations did.

“Elrond-sama?” she whispered a little loudly to catch his attention.

The Elven King turned around with an almost exasperated expression on his face, no doubt having hoped to make a quick exit without catching anyone’s attention. Still to his credit he remained still and even turned around to acknowledge her.

“Does this mean the Elves are joining the war?” Hina asked hopefully.

The Half-Elven Lord placed a hand on her shoulders and shook his head. “I’m sorry little one, but we are not. Our people are being called to the Undying Lands. I fear this war is the war of Men, for it is they who will inherit this Earth once we leave.”

Hina frowned. “The age of Men, huh? Doesn’t sound as cool as you make it seem.”

“Have faith in your people Hina. Men are easy to lose hope and to gain it, and their will does not hold strong to the test of time, but they also possess perseverance beyond all other races. They will inevitably fall before they rise again, but it remains that they will rise… eventually,” Elrond said patting her shoulder with a small smile.

“Wow such a hopeful speech,” she said sarcastically, but she knew Elrond had only said the last part in humour to lighten the mood.

Hina had to admit that Elves really knew how to speak. Elrond had spoke into the deepest parts of the human experience with his words, lifting up her spirits. Looking at his ageless face, deep ebony hair, and the sheer depth of his grey eyes, Hina felt like it was almost a loss that he too was leaving. She wasn’t even a part of Middle-Earth and it felt wrong for the Elves to go. With them left the knowledge and wisdom of a race long lived. Despite her sudden sadness she forced a smile and nodded.

“I’ll keep hope. Kami knows everyone here is always moaning about Sauron this Sauron that,” she said with a smile.

“Good girl, now let’s keep my presence here a secret?” he asked.

“Of course Elrond-sama. I saw no Elf. I know no Elf,” she said, miming zipping her lips.

He gave her one last smile before taking his leave and when Hina turned to her right she was met with Aragorn holding a rather shiny sword.

“And I thought Pikapika was shiny. Did Elrond come here to give you some epic bling?”

Aragorn didn’t smile. His jaw had set, and his brows were furrowed as he sheathed his sword and walked up to the child.

“Elrond brings grave news,” he said.

“Really, it was rather uplifting to me,” Hina mumbled.

“Sauron gathers forces in secret from the Eastern men. We can expect the Corsairs to join the war in their ships from the South. Our forces are not enough, and I am to ask the aid of the dead,” he said gravely.

“The dead? Please tell me we’re not going to unleash a zombie apocalypse… can you imagine zombie Orcs, because I’d rather not imagine that.” Hina shuddered.

“I don’t know what these ‘zombies’ you speak off are, but these are cut-throats and traitors. Men who did not answer the call of war in a great time and were cursed to an eternal suffering without true death.”

Hina felt her breath escape her throat. That was terrible. She put her trembling hands behind her and forced a cocky smile. She threw out all thoughts of existential dread to keep her head on straight.

“So what are we waiting for? I’m sure Elrond-sama didn’t tell you this if it wouldn’t help. Let’s go perform some necromancy!”

“We are not performing necromancy,” Aragorn shook his head in disgust at the very thought of it. “In fact we are not doing anything. I will be going alone.”

“Alone?” Hina frowned.

“Yes alone. You said once that you would listen to me. Now I ask that you listen and stay here while I go.”

“Alone!” Hina repeated in irritation. “Don’t go alone. That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. Take me with you!”

“No Hina! You will not come!”

Hina knew Aragorn was on edge, but he hadn’t yelled at her in nearly a year. It was rare to see him truly snap in his anger. She flinched away and he calmed down almost instantly, his eyes softening. Hina hated that she had backed down at his yelling. She knew he wouldn’t hit her and yet she had jerked away reflexively. She regretted it almost instantly.

“I will go this alone,” he repeated softer this time before leaving towards the stables.

Hina scowled. She wasn’t going to let him, but she didn’t want to trick him either. Instead she quickly made her way towards Legolas and Gimli.

“Hey guys! Guess who’s going on a solo quest without us?” Hina asked with a scowl.

“Aragorn?” Legolas sighed.

“Bingo! Yes, the idiot’s riding off to raise an army of dead without us,” she said folding her arms.

“What?!” Gimli exclaimed in disbelief as he threw away his meal. “What makes him think he will go at that alone?”

“What indeed?” Hina agreed with a frown.

“I’ll prepare my horse. You grab your axe Gimli,” Legolas said sending Hina a knowing smile.

Hina replied with a grin of her own. Yeah, no way in all nine hells was she letting Aragorn ride of to his potential death without his team.

“Just where do you think you’re off to?” Gimli asked with a grin as he caught Aragorn off his guard.

Hina came in right beside the Dwarf with a grin of her own and Aragorn sighed and shook his head.

“I told you Hina. Not this time. This time you must stay Gimli.”

“Hmmmm,” Gimli hummed in disagreement.

Hina and Gimli smirked as Legolas came up from the other end leading his horse. The Elf clasped Aragorn on his shoulder with a smirk of his own.

“Have you learnt nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves and Shinobi?” Legolas asked in jest.

“You might as well accept it. We’re going with you laddie,” Gimli adds in.

“Yup, no way in hell would I let you go of on a solo quest and steal all the exp,” Hina added in, to everyone’s confusion.

To her relief Aragorn smiles and nods. He gestures to the pass in the mountains.

“It is there we will go.”

Hina prepared herself. She would be meeting men whose souls were trapped, maybe not in the same way hers was, but it was a rare thing to stumble upon. She knew then that the reason her hands were trembling was not only with fear, but in… eagerness.

Even a glimpse into the afterlife was a rare and wonderful gift.