FicWad

A/n: Here's chapter seven, to my viewers at Ficwad.com.

MSola: I hope you forgive me for putting the children through the horror that Pippin went through himself with the Palantir.

Please Read and review.











Chapter 7: A deep breath, the great battle of our time







The Darkness grew further in Kyoto. A frightening silence came over the city, for danger was surely imminent. Radagast the Brown stood upon the balcony at the Aoiya, after a most grueling meeting with Yamagata and Kawaji, nearly three days ago. The Brown Wizard explained to them that Kenshin was now in Middle-Earth, defending that world as well as theirs from the Dark Lord Sauron. Radagast also told them about the ring and why it had to be destroyed.

And he even mentioned Frodo's quest to Mordor, but did not give Frodo's name to them, saying that he was not yet at liberty to say at the moment. So, he designated Frodo as, 'The Ring-Bearer'. Radagast told them that even though the spy of Sauron in the police was exposed, more spies were about, trying to discover where the ring was. In that entire conversation, Yamagata was the one who was fully convinced of the wizard's story, but Kawaji nearly laughed when he first heard of the situation, full of skepticism. However, while Kawaji and Yamagata were on opposite sides to the situation... they both agreed to put all their forces on alert, in order to counter this threat.

Radagast and the Oniwaban Group were relieved with the assurances from the heads of the Police and Army for their cooperation. Yamagata and Kawaji still expected to be informed of any further developments... to which Radagast gave his utmost promise.



With the Brown Wizard pondering the enemy's next movements each day and night... Seijuro Hiko came up to the balcony, and stood beside Radagast.



"Gandalf told me that he sent a message to the Elves," said Radagast, "they wish to lend some support, in order to stave off the incoming onslaught."

"How many forces does Sauron have?" asked Hiko.

Radagast paused for a moment before he answered, "...many, Master Hiko. Sauron's armies of allies and mercenaries outnumber even the population of this city. For Minas Tirith, Sauron will have the whole weight of his diverse army upon the city, consisting of Orcs, the savage tribes of Men, and the most foul beasts and creatures under his thrall. But for Kyoto... I believe that he will send a lesser amount, but still greater than any army, these people have ever fought against.

"...Sauron has enough armies at his command to decimate any city... we don't stand a chance," Radagast finished, with doubt, gnawing at his mind.

"Even so, we've got to do our best at something," said Hiko faithfully, "I may not like the world around me that much, but as the 13th master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, I can't allow this to happen. And my dumb apprentice is most certainly too stupid to let these creeps get their way."

"You don't seem to think so highly of Kenshin," observed Radagast of Hiko, "why would he be so dumb to you?"

"...Through his own purity," Hiko explained, "each day, when we trained together, I've always noticed how he concentrated on his swordsmanship. One cannot improve his own skill without desiring to become stronger, and Kenshin desired nothing more than to increase his capacity. He was so focused and pure... that he was a simpleton in my eyes."



Radagast could not help but smile. He knew that even the young would be so impulsive at times, which was probably the reason why Kenshin received his scar on his cheek. Suddenly... Ayame and Suzume came up to them. Hiko looked to the side, noticing the children.



"Oh," said Hiko, peering at the children, "we didn't notice you two. Shouldn't you be with the fox woman?"

"We want to see Mr. Radagast," replied Ayame, "...we decided that we feel safer with him now."

"We're safer with Mr. Radagast," added Suzume.

"Oh do you now, children?" Radagast said in surprise to the children as he went over and picked them up on his lap, "well, I thought you would've been more... resistant to that idea, knowing that I sent Kenshin away so suddenly. I see that you two are still trying to cope with the horror you experienced with the Palantir a few nights ago."



The children nodded positively to Radagast's indications about them.



"So, tell me young ones... what made you change your minds about me?" inquired Radagast.

"Well sir, it's just that," said Ayame in an apologetic manner, "...that you're the only one, who knows how Uncle Kenny's doing. We should've trusted you to tell us, than what we did with that shiny stone."

"Yes sir... we should've trusted you," Suzume responded in repetition.

"Well, now you know better," said Radagast, "and even though you may have learned your lessons, Sauron may believe that you two have the ring. For he definitely believes that the Hobbit, Pippin, whom you both saw, has the ring in his possession. And with either of these possibilities, Sauron will take no chances... he'll be after you as well as he will Pippin. I promise that we'll do everything in our power to protect you."

"I'm scared, sir," said Suzume in heightened fear, "I wish Uncle Kenny was here."

"Do you miss him that much?" asked Hiko

"Yes, sir, we do," the children answered, almost in unison.

"Heh, my dumb apprentice must be getting more popular than I thought, if he could be chosen to go to another dimension," Hiko said, with a smirk, looking out into the city.

"Indeed," replied Radagast, fervently.









Gandalf, Aoshi and Pippin were given a guestroom in a house on one of the upper levels of Minas Tirith, close to the wall of the citadel upon the north side, not far from the shoulder that linked the hill with the mountain. Since Pippin pledged his services to Denethor, he humbly accepted, giving Pippin a uniform of the guards of the citadel, in which he closely examined on one of their beds. Aoshi and Gandalf were outside the room, gazing into the distance, in the direction of Mordor. Gandalf was smoking his pipe as Aoshi stood a great distance away, not wanting to breathe the smoke.



"So I imagine, this is just a ceremonial position," said Pippin, a little nervously, as he slowly drew the blade from its leather sheath, "I mean, they don't actually expect me to do any fighting... do they?"

"You're in the service of the Steward now!" Gandalf chided harshly at Pippin with a scratchy voice, "you're going to have to do as you're told, Peregrin Took, Guard of the Citadel!"



Gandalf began to cough out loud, inhaling too much smoke.



"Gandalf," interjected Aoshi, "Pippin only did what he thought was right for him to do. We need not criticize him."

"'Cough, cough!' I wish I could believe you fully, Aoshi," Gandalf said, very doubtfully, continuing to cough harshly.

"Pippin, get Gandalf some water," Aoshi told Pippin.



Pippin nodded then took a pitcher of water and poured some into a cup, so Gandalf would stop coughing so roughly.



"Ridiculous Hobbit," Gandalf rumbled further, his coughing constantly echoing, "'cough, cough!' Citadel guard, heh-- 'cough!' A Hobbit's inquisitiveness can surely lead to trouble-- 'cough, cough, cough, cough!'"

Gandalf finally took the pipe out of his mouth, after all that heavy inhaling he was doing, unable to tolerate any more smoke, coughing endlessly into the dark sky. Pippin walked over to Gandalf, and gave him the cup of water to drink.

"Eh, thank you," said Gandalf graciously, with his coughs subsiding, taking the cup from Pippin.



Pippin looked up at the sky afterwards with Aoshi gazing along with him. They both started to notice that the sky was totally dark and gloomy... filled with a great emptiness from within.



"There's no more stars," indicated Pippin, "...is it time?"

"Yes," answered Gandalf, as he drank the rest of the water that Pippin gave him, and placed the cup on a small table right beside him.



Pippin then went towards the balcony and peered over towards Mordor, with his chin resting upon his folded arms on top of the railing.



"...Its so quiet," observed Pippin.

"It's the deep breath before the plunge," noted Gandalf solemnly as he went over to join Pippin, standing at the edge of the balcony.

"...I don't want to be in a battle," commented Pippin sadly, "but waiting on the edge of one I can't escape, is even worse."

"Nobody ever wishes to fight, Pippin," interjected Aoshi, "believe me, its very hard for anyone to stand up to protect what means to them the most."

"Aye," said Pippin, still looking out towards the mountains of shadow, "that's most perfectly true, Aoshi. Is there any hope, Gandalf... for Frodo, and the others?"

"There never was much hope," admitted Gandalf, as Pippin turned to him with a bemused look.

Gandalf faced Pippin adding, "just a fool's hope."



Pippin gave a most bittersweet smile, feeling that Gandalf may be right, since he knew that he was a fool.



"...Part of me can't believe that," Aoshi cut in suddenly, "a fool's hope would be trying fruitlessly to claim the title of the strongest, and finding an end to his or her own life as I had done. I tried to end my life after making myself believe that I was doing it for those four of the Oniwaban group who died to protect me."

"I know," Pippin said sadly, "Misao told me and Merry about them. That they were all guards of Edo Castle, just as you were."

"No doubt she did," Aoshi said calmly, "now, I'm helping to guard this castle, just as you are, Pippin, but of my own free will."



Pippin nodded with a smile.



"Besides," Aoshi went on, "...if Himura fully believed that there wasn't much hope... he would have not made the decision to come here."

Gandalf paused, but then... he smiled. For he knew that what Aoshi said, had great merit. In the wizard's heart... he knew that there just had to be some hope left, even if he realistically said that there wasn't.



"...Indeed," Gandalf said, still smiling, "...indeed he wouldn't have, Aoshi."



Aoshi and Pippin felt relieved hearing Gandalf's gesture of faith. Even this wizard had to look beyond his own wisdom. However, the wizard knew that their faith, rewarded or not, would be for naught if the enemy wins, as Gandalf turned back to the mountains of Shadow, with the fires of Mordor flashing darkly from behind...





"Our enemy is ready," said Gandalf forebodingly, with his gaze upon Mordor, "his full strength's gathered. Not only Orcs, but men as well. Legions of Haradrim from the South, mercenaries from the coast... all will answer Mordor's call. This will be the end of Gondor, as we know it. Here, the hammer-stroke will fall hardest.

"...If the river is taken," Gandalf added, turning his gaze to the river and Osgiliath, where smoke rose in several places from the battle-scarred city, "if the garrison at Osgiliath falls, the last defense of this city will be gone."

"But we have the White Wizard," said Pippin to Gandalf, with confidence, "that's got to count for something."



However... Gandalf did not answer, only had a preoccupied expression on his face... as if something else had worried him...



"...Gandalf?" wondered Pippin.

"...Is there more trouble Gandalf?" added Aoshi.

Gandalf paused a moment before answering, "...Sauron has yet to reveal his deadliest servant, the one who will lead Mordor's armies in war. The one, they say, no living Man, can kill... the Witch-king of Angmar. You've met him before, Pippin."



Pippin looked bemused...



"He stabbed Frodo on Weathertop," Gandalf clarified.





Pippin did remember that night at Weathertop, when Frodo was forced to put on the ring, hoping he would not be noticed... but only got himself stabbed. The Hobbit did not know who Frodo's attacker was... until now.





"So," interjected Aoshi, "...it was this Witch-King wraith who stabbed Frodo with an unsealing wound, nearly turning him into a wraith himself?"

"Yes, Aoshi, it was," answered Gandalf, "...do not take him lightly, for he is the Lord of the Nazgul, the greatest of the Nine. Minas Morgul is his lair..."











The foul city of Minas Morgul stood high on a rocky seat upon the black knees of Ephel Dúath. It was once the Sister City of Minas Tirith, hewn within the rocks of the mountain. But the walls and battlements of the city were grafted with the hideous metal work of the Orcs of Mordor, producing discolored stains of rust all over the stony walls. All was dark about the city, earth and sky, and lit with a green, murky light, paler than the moon ailing in some slow eclipse, wavering and blowing like a noisome exhalation of decay. For it was a corpse-light... that was illuminating nothing.

Windows showed within the walls and tower of Minas Morgul like countless black holes that looked inward toward emptiness. And at the topmost course of the tower...





Screams rang out from the empty windows, like wails of hopelessness and despair. The Orcs, armed with knives and whips, were beating down what seemed to be a group of ailing men, whose eyesight was beginning to go ill. Their faces were ghoulishly pale, almost like they were living skulls and their eyes a devilishly dark black. However, the men were wearing strange blue clothing, which was seemingly not made in Middle-Earth.

The Orcs made the men wince in their pain tortuously. The emaciated, devil-eyed men's screeching became louder and louder... perhaps as loud as the Ringwraiths themselves. Bearing enough of the pain...



The men finally retaliated, as they began to grab at the Orc's necks, driven by some untapped strength, choking the life out of the vermin of Mordor. The Orcs plunged their blades into their assailants, but their blades disintegrated, sending deathly pale cold shocks through their arms...





SCREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!





A loud shriek resounded within the room, and a figure dressed in black stood there. The ghoulish men flailed before the ominous black-clothed figure.



"/...Leave us,/" the figure commanded.

The Orcs left the room, doing the figure's bidding. Soon... there were no others save the ghoulish men and the black figure.



The black figure began, "/you have come a long way from where you were born. You were once known as Tanaka, Ikari, Ikeda, and Yukimura... men of office, officials to enforce laws upon the people of your world of Japan, people whom you would call rebels. Your world was full of rebels, and many still fester from within your world like a plague of locusts. This is all possible... because the government of your world is weak to uproot them. /



The Men, revealed as Tanaka, Ikari, Ikeda, and Yukimura of Japan, were silent, being entranced by the figure's speech.



"/I was like you once... when I was weak and powerless to reign over other men because of my short life. I had thought that if I were to die... there would be disorder among the people I rule, and fall out of submission. That was until... I received a token from my lord Sauron, to have long life and limitless power at my disposal. I have that power now, as I have now given it to you. You now have the power to uproot the criminals of your world, so that it will be cleansed of all resistance! /

"/...Serve me, serve your new master Sauron,/" the black figure said evilly, as he handed the men each a blade, "/I am his greatest servant, the Witch-King of Angmar. All would cower before me, or slay themselves at my bidding! Do you swear?/"



A pause followed, as the men poised the tip of the blades at the palm of their hands... and plunged them straight through their hands, making them wince and cringe wildly. Their screams became ear wrenching as any other Ringwraith...





".../Do you swear... will you serve Sauron?/" asked the Witch-King.

The men snapped their heads at the Witch-King, replying with deathly, gaunt voices, "/...WE SHALL SERVE SAURON!/"







In the weapons storage...



The Witch-king of Angmar, the greatest of all Nazgûl... was being armed for war, as the Orcs adorned the wraith with armor, consisting of pauldrons and armored gloves and boots... along with a spiked, crown-like, silver helmet that flickered with perilous light to fit upon his head. But the wraith remained faceless from within the helmet...

The former men of Japan, now full-fledged wraiths of Sauron, also wore black as their Nazgûl brethren. And one of them, the one who was once called Ikari, wore armor like the Witch-King, but his helm was not as lofty as the Nazgûl lord's. This wraith would be the one to lead the armies to lay waste to Kyoto.







Outside the dreaded city...



Frodo, Kaoru, Yahiko, Sam, and Gollum had reached Minas Morgul, to take the pass into Mordor that entered into the mountains above it. The travelers took cover from underneath the road, staring with unwilling eyes at the glowing, noisome city.



"The dead city," announced Gollum, with a wicked cackle, "very nasty place. Full of... enemies."

Yahiko turned his eyes, glancing darkly at Gollum's direction as he thought, 'the only enemy around here is you, you creep. Just you wait.'



Gollum then jumped onto the road, with the others following along, hurrying towards the cliff face beside the road.

"Quick! Quick!" Gollum hurried the others, "they will see, they will see."



Sam, Yahiko, and Kaoru followed the creature, but Frodo just stood, looking upon the ghastly horned, loathsome statues of dark creatures, human and bestial, that guarded the bridge that let towards the gates of the city...



"Come away!" Gollum called out to Frodo, "come away!"

Frodo then snapped out of his daze, turning to Gollum, who was perched upon the rocks.

"Look! We have found it... the way into Mordor," Gollum gestured to the others, pointing at a very, very steep and almost vertical staircase, delved into the rock, leading way, way, way up towards the top... beyond all sight, "...the secret stair."



The travelers looked up and stared in enormous shock at the steep stairs climbing the cliff face in front of them. Kaoru was filled with fright at the mere sight of it, and could most certainly give Yahiko... an unhealthy fear of heights.



'/...Cirith Ungol/,' thought Yahiko, gasping in his breath.

"Climb," said Gollum, very grimly.



Sam, Kaoru, and Yahiko began their climb, with their hands and feet. But once again, Frodo slowly turned to look upon the statues of Minas Morgul, entranced by their presence with his senses reeling and his mind darkening. Then, as if some force were at work against his will... Frodo began staggering towards the hideous statues and the bridge of the city. Yahiko and the others, at the last moment... saw Frodo trying to go into the dreaded city.



"Hey, Frodo!" cried Yahiko, "where are you going!"

But Frodo did not respond, clutching the ring in his hand. The power of the ring was controlling him again.

"No, Mr. Frodo!" Sam exclaimed.

"Get away!" cried Kaoru.

"Not that way!" Gollum cried out.



Sam, Yahiko, and Gollum chased after Frodo, who passed the statues, still clutching the ring in his hand. Yahiko came in front of Frodo as Gollum and Sam grabbed him by the arms, struggling to pull him back towards the stairs...



"What's it doing?!" wailed Gollum, in despair.

"No!" Sam warned.

"We got to get out of here, Frodo!" added Yahiko.

"They're calling me," said Frodo in resistance, straining to head for Minas Morgul.

"No!" Gollum cried out, as he, Sam, and Yahiko continued struggling to pull him away from the dreaded city.

"Come on, Frodo!" yelled Kaoru...





RRRRUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMBBBBLLLLLLEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





The ground quivered and trembled beneath them, as Yahiko, Sam, and Gollum successfully pulled Frodo away from the city... and crashed onto the ground as series of quakes rocked the foundation, and echoed in the mountains. The travelers gasped with fright, lying upon the ground, as the great loud rumbling continued to roll beneath them for a moment...



Then a mist of light began to surround the tower in the center of Minas Morgul...







WWWWWHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







And erupted, with a concussive blast, into a great towering flash of green light that shot way up into the night, roaring and filling the skies above...







Instantly being noticed by Gandalf, Aoshi and Pippin from Minas Tirith. Pippin's expression became fearful, as Gandalf laid a consoling arm upon the Hobbit. The sight of the Pillar of light from Minas Morgul had gotten their complete attention... the war was now beginning...



Then... a portal formed in the sky, letting the light pass into the portal...





Into Japan, but outside the city of Kyoto, as the thundering light came from the sky... landing and splashing somewhere within the mountains, startling everyone within Kyoto. Radagast, the children, being consoled in the wizard's arms, and Hiko noticed the light... and felt the great evil that came from it...









Frodo and the others were directly in the middle of it... as they gazed in terror at the light that continued to flash and roar right in front of their faces, making the ground shake very violently. The light seemed cold, deathly, and unbearably violent and fierce before them.

"Hide! Hide!" cried Gollum, gesturing the travelers to hide behind the rock wall at the base of the stairs, while in the confusion...







The people and the soldiers of Gondor, that manned the walls of Minas Tirith, noticed the same pillar of light, as they held their gazes upon it, filled with great fear and hopelessness...





And the people of Kyoto noticed the ominous, towering light from the night sky... that was pouring into the mountains. Some in Kyoto were bemused... some were frightened, as many of them were wearing signs saying 'the end is near', which unfortunately... was very true.

Hiko and Radagast, with firm, fixed eyes, also knew... that it was a sign of danger was imminent. The children stared in horror and fear at the menacing light that shone before them...





The light slowly dissipated little by little, at Minas Morgul. The travelers peered over the rock to see if they were seen. Then...



A pair of black, leathery wings appeared from the city... revealing the Witch-king of Angmar on his fell beast rising above the city. Another fell beast appeared with another armored wraith on it... the black commander who will lead the siege to Japan. The beasts bellowed and snarled eager and ready to bring both worlds to ruin. The two wraiths watched from above, for they might have sensed the ring's power. Frodo immediately felt the pain from his wound that the Witch-king gave him flaring up in his presence...





SCCRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHH...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





The wraiths shrieked simultaneously, loud enough to hurt the ears of Frodo and the others...



"AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!" the travelers cried out, writhing in pain, as they covered their ears from the rending screeches that shivered and rose swiftly to a piercing pitch that grew in power and hatred, piercing the heart with a poisonous despair.

Frodo recoiled in agony, suffering the worse pain imaginable with the horrid screeching, in addition to his old aching wound in his shoulder, with sweat beading his face and a great chill spreading towards his heart.

"...I can feel his blade," he said in great distress.





After long, painful, torturous moments... the wraiths stopped their loud, rendering shrieking, falling back through a long sickening wail to silence. The winged beasts lowered their great heads towards the gates below, bellowing their roars once more...



And the gates of Minas Morgul opened... unleashing legions of Orcs, waving banners from the many different Orc tribes, with the purpose of destroying Gondor... and all of Japan...







At Minas Tirith...



Gandalf, Pippin, and Aoshi saw the pillar dimming, scattering into the night, as the wizard said, forbodingly, "we come to it at last... the great battle of our time."







At the Aoiya...



Hiko, Radagast, along with Ayame and Suzume, cringing a little in boding fear, had also just seen the pillar of light that shot down from the sky... dissipate slowly into the darkness.



"Radagast!" cried Omasu as she and Ochika ran towards the balcony, "did you see that light?"

"Yes, my dear," replied Radagast as he turned to them, "the battle is now at hand. We must make haste in our preparations."











The Armies of Orcs continued to march forth, in seemingly endless legions and battalions. The Witch-king and his lieutenant watched the great march from above the city, as they would command these vast armies. Kaoru, Frodo, Sam, and Yahiko watched the marching armies, from the rock that they were hiding under, and hid themselves as the Army began to march passed them.

They also noticed that these Orcs were not like the crouching creatures that they faced in Moria, but a different brood... stronger, intimidating, fiercer and more savage than their preceding Orc kindred were. They wore diverse, individualized steel-plated armor and helmets that were sharpened and filed, and looked as if it could kill any man that came too close to them.



Suddenly...





A light from the tower shot off towards the ground, opening a portal. A portion of Orcs parted from the main lines, heading for the portal. Kaoru and Yahiko gasped... for it was leading to their world. The number of Orcs kept going into the portal.



"Kaoru," gasped Yahiko, "that portal's to our world, isn't it?"

Kaoru nodded.

'.../Man, this isn't good,/' thought Yahiko, gritting his teeth, 'that means Sauron's already making his move to take over Japan and Middle-Earth. We've got to get hustling... or our worlds will be destroyed!'



The two wraith captains of Mordor let out one final bellow... and flew off from Minas Morgul, heading the battle to take over Gondor and Japan. Frodo and the others ducked into the rocks as far as they could when the Nazgûls flew from overhead, watching one of the wraiths enter the portal to Japan, and the other, the Witch-King of Angmar, flew off to manage the battle in Middle-Earth.



"Come away, Hobbits and Travelers!" cried out Gollum, "we climb, we must climb."





There was definitely no time to waste. Both worlds were now in jeopardy from Sauron's might. And so, the travelers climbed up the treacherous stairs of Cirith Ungol, with unceasingly determination, successfully keeping themselves hidden from the ceaseless marching Orcs that spewed out of the Dead City beneath them...











Gandalf, Aoshi, and Pippin continued looking where the great signal of Mordor had just faded a few moments ago, in which Sauron shall start his war over Gondor, and Japan.



"So, Gandalf," said Aoshi, "the war for both worlds has come."

"Indeed Aoshi," replied Gandalf in portent anticipation, "...the board is set. The pieces are moving."











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: So, did you like how I used the signal from Minas Morgul to flash into Kenshin's world. I hope you do, because I did. What a way to start war for two worlds, huh? Anyway, please Read and Review.