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Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings is the property of J.R.R. Tolkien and Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki.

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SECTION 1: KENSHIN AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

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Chapter 1: Bilbo's Birthday

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In the realm of Middle-Earth, in a land called the Shire, a hobbit lies in the grass reading a book, enjoying it immensely. Moments later, the hobbit hears a faint, singing from an old man. The hobbit jumped up and smiled with the greatest joy imaginable. And so the hobbit runs toward the singing. The old man who was singing rode a wagon carriage throughout the Shire. He was cloaked in gray robes and rags and wore a gray long-pointed hat...

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The road goes ever on and on...

Down from the door where it began...

Now far ahead the road has gone...

And I must follow if I can...

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The old man continued his singing until the hobbit appeared beside him from on top of a small ledge. "You're late", said the hobbit.

The old man stopped his wagon. "A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins," said the old man. "Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."

A moment of silence came over them. The old man suddenly... cackled a giggle, and then to a full-fledged laugh. Frodo, the hobbit laughed along with him.

"Its wonderful to see you, Gandalf," Frodo said as he jumped onto the old man named Gandalf and hugged him. Gandalf hugged him back.

"You didn't think I would miss your Uncle Bilbo's birthday?" he questioned him as he gave off another laugh.

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Frodo and Gandalf rode throughout the Shire. "What news of the outside world?" inquired Frodo, "tell me everything!"

"Everything?!", asked a surprised Gandalf. "Far too eager and curious for a hobbit, most unnatural", Gandalf huffed.

He decided to humour Frodo's question, "well, what can I tell you? Life in the wide world goes on as much as it has this past age. Full of its own comings and goings. Scarcely aware of the existence of the hobbits, for which I am very thankful."

The duo rode through the town of Hobbiton. All the other hobbits enjoyed themselves in their peaceful way of life. Some were gardeners, others were farmers, and so forth. Truly, the hobbits were a peaceful race of beings, even though they are the size of mere children. It was proven when the hobbits greeted the wizard Gandalf on his wagon, "hey, its Gandalf." "Gandalf", the hobbits said with glee in their voices.

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Frodo and Gandalf continued their stroll through the shire. Gandalf looked to his side and saw the preparations for Bilbo's party, "oh, the long expected party!"

The hobbits worked tediously preparing the party. Tents were being set up. Signs were being posted. Their hardest task for them was to put up a banner that had the words, 'Happy Birthday, Bilbo Baggins'. The hobbits clapped their hands congratulating themselves.

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Gandalf and Frodo continued their discussion, "so how is the old rascal," said Gandalf, "I hear its going to be a party of special magnificence."

"You know Bilbo", said Frodo, "he's got the entire place in an uproar."

"Well, that should please him."

"Half the shire has been invited."

"Oh, good gracious me."

"He's up to something."

"Oh really?"

"All right then, keep your secrets," Frodo said as Gandalf laughed mischievously to Frodo's suspicious nature. "Before you came along, we Bagginses were very well thought of."

"Indeed?"

"Never had any adventures or did anything unexpected."

Gandalf felt that Frodo was blaming him because Bilbo went with Gandalf on an exciting adventure one time. "If you're referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved," said Gandalf sheepishly. "All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door."

"Whatever you did, you've been officially labeled a 'disturber of the peace'," stated Frodo.

"Oh, oh really?" wondered Gandalf. The statement that Frodo made was made clear to Gandalf when he strolled past a middle-aged hobbit named Proudfoot, who grimaced at Gandalf like he was some sort of troublemaker. Gandalf nervously looked away from him.

Suddenly, the hobbit children ran down knowing Gandalf has come to the shire once again. The children cried out, "Gandalf, Gandalf. Fireworks Gandalf! Fireworks!"

The children gathered at the back of Gandalf's wagon. There weren't any fireworks when the children wanted to see them. After a few moments, they were starting to become disappointed and let down.

Suddenly...

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POOF!

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The fireworks went off, and the children cheered, "YAAAAH!" Gandalf laughed mischievously. Unexpectedly, Mr. Proudfoot laughed along with them. Mrs. Proudfoot looked at her husband disapprovingly and he stopped laughing. He then returned his facial expression to his grimaced state when he first saw Gandalf.

Frodo enjoyed the ride with Gandalf but then decided to get off. "Gandalf, I'm glad you're back."

"So am I, dear boy," Gandalf said as Frodo hopped off the wagon and waved goodbye to him. "...So am I," Gandalf said to himself.

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Gandalf continued to ride towards Bag End, the estate of Bilbo Baggins. Gandalf stopped at the front gate. He passed through the gate that had the sign, 'no admittance, except on party business,' and walked up to the door with his wooden staff, and knocked at the door with the staff three times.

Bilbo's voice spoke loudly behind the door, "no thank you! We don't want anymore visitors, well-wishers, or distant relations."

"And what about very old friends?" asked Gandalf.

The door opened. Bilbo looked up and saw in great surprise, "Gandalf?"

"Bilbo Baggins."

"My dear Gandalf," said Bilbo as he went to his old friend and hugged him.

Gandalf returned the big hug, "good to see you. 111 years old, who would believe it." Gandalf released Bilbo and looked at him, a hobbit who looks so ageless, "you haven't aged a day." It baffled him as much as it surprised him.

The old friends laughed to their hearts content. "Come on, come in", Bilbo said beckoning Gandalf, "welcome, welcome." Bilbo closed the door and took his hat and staff.

"Oh, here we are," said Bilbo. "Tea? Or maybe something a little stronger? I've got a few bottles of the old Wineyard left. 1296, very good year, almost as old as I am."

Bilbo laughed as he put up the staff and hat. He then ran to the kitchen, happy as he was, "it was laid down by my father. Let's say we open one, eh!"

"Just tea, thank you," Gandalf said as he lifted his head into the chandelier. "Ooh", said Gandalf as he set the chandelier straight. He then bumped his head into a wooden beam, "Ouch!" He laughed with the greatest curiosity. Gandalf wandered into the lounge with the fire burning in the fireplace.

Bilbo prepared a variety of foods for his friend to enjoy. "I was," he said, "expecting you sometime last week! Not that it matters, you come and go as you please. Always have done and always will. You caught me a bit unprepared, I'm afraid. We've only got cold chicken and bit of a pickle... here's some cheese here, uhn no that won't do. Ah, we've got raspberry jam, an apple tart... "

As Bilbo kept naming the foods and preserves he has, Gandalf took the liberty of looking at Bilbo's work. Gandalf picked up a map of Bilbo's first adventure with Gandalf to the Lonely Mountain, where they fought Smaug, the dragon that Gandalf mentioned to Frodo, and took the dragon's treasure at the same time.

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Moments later, Bilbo went into his lounge, "I can make you some eggs if you like... Gandalf... Gandalf...?" It seemed to Bilbo that Gandalf was missing, but he appeared in the kitchen and dining room behind Bilbo...

"Just tea, thank you," said Gandalf.

"Oh right". Bilbo then took a piece of bread and ate it. "Oh right. You don't mind if I eat, do you?" he said with his mouth full.

Gandalf didn't seem to mind, "oh, not at all."

Then a knock came to the door that made Bilbo stand against the wall as if he wanted to hide, "Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins!" It was a hobbit woman calling his name, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.

"I'm not at home!" Bilbo said nervously and put the tray of food on the table. "Oh, I've got to get away from these confounded relatives hanging on the bell all day, never giving me a moment's peace! I want to see mountains again, mountains Gandalf! And then find somewhere quiet where I can finish my book. Oh, tea." Bilbo remembered Gandalf's request for tea.

He grabbed the teapot and poured the tea into a cup. "So, you mean to go through with your plan?" asked Gandalf.

"Yes, yes it's all in hand. All the arrangements have been made. Oh, thank you."

"Frodo suspects something", Gandalf informed Bilbo.

"Of course he does," assured Bilbo, "he's a Baggins. Not some block-headed Bracegirdle from Hardbottle." Bilbo placed the teapot back on the burner, after he finished pouring the tea.

"You will tell him, won't you?"

"Yes, yes," answered Bilbo hurriedly.

"He's very fond of you," Gandalf also informed Bilbo.

"...I know," answered Bilbo, with sorrow in his voice, " ...he'd probably come with me if I asked him. I think in his heart Frodo's still in love with the shire. The woods... the fields... little rivers."

Bilbo took a few moments of silence, knowing that he's going to leave his nephew and other hobbits that he has known throughout his years for rest and relaxation for the rest of his days...

"I'm old Gandalf. I know I don't look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart," Bilbo said as he started to feel the inside of his vest pocket for something. "I feel... thin... sort of stretched like... butter scraped over too much bread."

Gandalf nodded his head in agreement.

Bilbo continued, "I need a holiday, a very long holiday. And I don't expect I shall return." A moment of silence followed...

"...In fact, I mean not to," finished Bilbo.

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It neared dusk over the shire. Gandalf and Bilbo went outside to smoke their pipes. "Old toby," started Bilbo, "the finest weed in the Southfarthing."

Bilbo blew a large ring of smoke that floated in the air. Gandalf used the smoke in his mouth and puffed the smoke and formed it in the shape of a sailing boat... a galleon to be precise. The sailing boat floated on its own and flew through the ring of smoke.

"Ah", Bilbo gasped with delight, "Gandalf, my old friend... this will be a night to remember."

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Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Lord of the Rings. RK is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Lord of the Rings is the property of Professor J. R. R. Tolkien

A/n: Kenshin and friends will appear in the next chapter.

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