The following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights.
Xena's slim blonde form still trembled in my grasp, though I could feel that the tears had finally eased. I was still whispering reassurances, even as I looked into my husband's handsome perplexed gaze. He was crouching with his arms resting on his leathercovered knees. The black sword of war lay between us.
I couldn't answer the questions in his eyes. There were so many things I didn't know right now. I didn't know if it was the same sword, with the same powers and ...influences...I didn't know if it was just a similar sword, imbued with authority. I had a hint from Xena's wail of loss, but...nothing solid, to tell me of the events that had shaped this world's pantheon. Or caused the loss of two so dear to us...or rather..me.
The Gabrielle of this world was long dead...and that same gut clench which had claimed my belly before rang in me again..harder. To see my first two bondmates wounded thus and seperated...seemed...the most unjust thing I'd ever heard.
Because I didn't know how long it would take Xena to find that core of anger and go striking out again, I decided to be proactive. I thought about passing the goddess to Ares' arms, then thought better of it.
It was obvious that *this* Xena had issues....
I lifted my head and stretched away from the war goddess. The smell of blood was *still* strong in the air. It was salt to match the Goddess' tears. "JONI!!! You have *GOT* to get us out of here!" I shouted, somewhat desperately.
I didn't dare to let go of Xena. It was my belief that it was my grasp around her that kept her from lunging back for the sword. Not that I would deny her her province, but rather, I didn't want her immediatly hacking either of us for seeing her so vunerable.
Ares, who I knew really really hated to be the helpless useless sort, chose that moment to reach for the sword.
It *had* to be intuition that caused Xena to wrench herself from my grasp and throw herself the distance it took to grab the powerful evidence of godhood. Not that it was a huge span of space, but..she was so.....
beautiful.
really truly beautiful....
"If you REALLY want it, I'll *give* it to you," she threatened my husband. She held the sword firm in her grasp, angled towards his chest. Ares took a slow, measuring look first at the sword, then at the blonde holding the sword. Lips pressed into a firm line, he threw a fist in her general direction. It didn't actually connect, but I half-caught the flash of raw force that flew from his fingers and caught Xena dead center, tossing her a good distance.
"This has NOT been a good day," Ares said, turning towards me as he spoke. Judging by the frown arching beneath that trim goatee, he was expecting answers I didn't have. As if *I* would know what was going on! "Would you please explain things to her?" A similar power-bolt hit him in the back right then, failing to do more than push him the whole of a millimeter.
I felt the heat of it, even through the mountain of cover Ares (quite deliberately, I'm sure) provided. A rather *dangerous* growl from him, something on the order of an enraged lion readying to pounce on its prey, prompted me to move around him and place myself between him and a fast-approaching Goddess.
Palms up, I spoke fast and placating. "Xena," I said. "He's not..."
She turned back towards me, "I've figured that out." Her eyes narrowed coldly, "But that doesn't mean I'll trust him."
"Trust," another voice, sweet to my ears, and sounding just like Xena's at that moment, interupted our little tableu. "He's got the shoulders of a bull, the manners of a cat, and the slyness of a fox. To say nothing of his more...developed physical attributes. What's not to trust?" I lifted myself up, turning to see her sleek amazon suited body. Her grin was teasing, just slightly evil, and eyes directed to our husband alone. "Hello, love. You're looking...well." Ares actually looked embarassed by the affect Callisto's words. His pecks weren't the only thing hard right then. "Oh look," she said as she pointed a long finger in Xena's direction. Callisto's eyebrow arched,"we could be twins."
Xena was up and growling even as the words were coming out of my lovely wife's troublesome mouth. The goddess plowed right into a suddenly determined God's shoulders. This time it wasn't me doing the holding. His arms wrapped tight around her, not letting go. Xena was wriggling and I knew we had bare moments. Damned if I could think of a single thing to say. Fortunately, I didn't have to.
"XENA!!" Ares barked, his voice exploding like thunder, filling the air. "You're a goddess. Calm yourself!" It was sometimes hard to remember exactly *who* among us was born a god, with all the prerequisite authority that entailed. He'd rarely taken the TONE with anyone. At least around me, that is; we have several other spouses to deal with after all, and some proved more troublesome than others. Needless to say, this got our attention. *All* our attention. It certainly got Xena's, who stilled and hung her head. I could see her shoulders sag and begin to shake ever so slightly. Ares pulled her closer to him and shifted his grip on her to one more tender and protective. Well, nearly everyone's attention was caught. "Ooooo," Callisto drawled. "What a man." This had the unfortunate affect of breaking whatever calm Ares managed to engender in Xena. The latter immediately started trying to twist out of his grip, which turned to solid stone again.
"Callisto," I growled, noting that unlike me she was still dressed..I felt a little envious. I debated for a moment whether to berate her for provoking things so needlessly, but then I figured we have more pressing priorities right then. "What's up with the ...?" She was watching Xena's struggle through catlike eyes, but smiled again and turned towards me.
That finger, which had moments ago been pointing a tease in Xena's direction, caressed my cheek. I couldn't help the delighted shiver. "The boys are on task...They're having some problems...out of control software, electrical conniption fits..that kind of thing..."
I blinked, trying unsuccessfully to put two and three together. "And you got here how?"
Callisto leaned so close I thought she was going to kiss me. I FELT that she was going to kiss me. I hungered for her kiss, even to the point of licking my lips.
She didn't. She just turned my cheek with that lovely electric finger, until I was gazing past Xena and Ares and at an open hole in space.
I sighed. "You came Through the door."
"Hmm," she hummed, now totally focused on the still-struggling doppleganger before her. Leaning in, but not too close so to avoid the sword, she studied the dark blade with a grin I was rather nervous about. "Niiiice. And to think," she fairly whispered, a manic gleam to her eye as she straightened to meet those of her mirror image. "*I*...could have been...*you*."
Then I caught the look in Xena's eyes. I saw the plan forming there, driven by the desperation to escape the inescapable...
"Xena," I hissed in warning. It went unheeded.
The head-butt to Ares' nose, not really damaging but certainly a surprise, caught us all off-guard. She managed to wiggle out of his grasp, delivering a side-kick to Callisto, sending her tumbling head-over-tea kettle into me. By the time we got ourselves righted (not that I really *minded* being under her like this), Xena was well on her way to the "door".
"Xena!" I shouted, only to be drowned out by Ares roaring the same in the same breath.
"XENAAAAAAA!!!" I saw him draw both arms back, a white corona surrounding them both. Oh, gods, I realized he was *really* going to let her have it. And it wasn't anger or rage I saw in his eyes. It was desperation. Desperation to stop her from reaching the crossing. But Xena was already too far away, too close to the doorway. If he let that power-bolt fly...and so close to the doorway...
"Ares, don't...!"
It was too late before I even drew the breath to say it.
He let loose the force-bolt, only to have the Goddess of War spin as she reached the threshold, sword at the ready. It was probably the only thing in all creation that could withstand the power racing towards her, and she knew it. Xena raised the sword, and brought it down in a perfect arc, catching the bolt squarely in front of her. Her scream of rage and despair filled my hearing as she struck.
The world went white, consuming us all.
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©September 28 1998
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