Like Father, Like Daughter
By
A. Rhea King
The two had been walking for some time in silence. Perhaps the approaching storm had disrupted their conversation, but for whatever reason, conversation had dropped off a while ago.
"We should find shelter. The storm's coming in fast," Iolaus said when a breeze came up.
"Maybe," Hercules said, looking up at the dark clouds overhead.
"Maybe we should ask the boy running towards us why he's running," Iolaus said.
Hercules looked ahead. Indeed, there was a boy running towards them. He couldn't be more than twelve and looked like he'd been running for some time. The two stopped, watching him stop a few feet from them.
"Hi," Hercules said.
The boy spun and took off running.
"I hate it when they do that," Iolaus said, watching Hercules run after the boy.
Hercules caught up to the boy and swept him up in a bear hug. The child started struggling and screaming like Hades himself had caught him.
"Stop," Hercules ordered. "I am not going to hurt you!"
Iolaus walked around Hercules laying a hand on the child's shoulder. The boy looked up at him.
"We aren't going to hurt you. What are you running from?" Iolaus asked.
"Marauders. They're attacking our village."
"Which way is your village?" Hercules asked.
The boy pointed in the direction.
"Wait here," Hercules said, setting the boy down.
Iolaus and Hercules raced off in the direction he'd pointed.
The two ran into the battle, fighting what they assumed was the enemy. The marauders were dressed in black hardened leather armor wearing steel helmets with ram horns affixed to the sides and the sign of Ares on the brow. Hercules turned, seeing two marauders running after a woman and five children. She disappeared into a barn still pursued by the men. Hercules sprinted toward the barn and slid to a stop inside. The woman was huddled in an empty stall with the children, holding three of them close to her. The two marauders were deciding which one to kill first.
"Since when do warriors of Ares attack women and children?" Hercules asked.
The two turned, staring at Hercules in surprised for a moment. Then they attacked him. He dodged their blades, spun and bashed their heads together. The two fell to the barn floor unconscious.
Behind Hercules a voice said, "Impressive move. You'll have to teach me that some time, brother."
Hercules turned, finding Ares leaning against a post. "Ares. Why am I not surprised?" Hercules said.
Ares smiled. "Give me the medallion and I'll leave this village in peace."
"You did this for the medallion?" Hercules asked.
"Give me the medallion and I'll leave," Ares said, crossing his arms across his chest. "Don't give me the medallion and I'll level this village."
Hercules put his hands on his hips. "We'll see about that."
Ares leapt up and flew at Hercules, intending on hitting him in the jaw with the bottom of his foot. Hercules ducked and spun. The two brothers lunged at each other, knocking the other down. They got up, even more intent on destroying the other. Ares threw a pitchfork at Hercules. Hercules dodged and it stuck in a pile of hay. Areas lunged and Hercules swung his fist out connecting with Ares' nose. The hit sent Ares sliding on his butt across the floor. Ares jumped to his feet and prepared to leap again when something crashed through the roof above. Everyone looked up to see a woman falling towards Ares. Instinctively he caught her, but her momentum sent the two crashing to the floor in a tangle of legs and arms. They both tried to scramble apart, only making the situation worse. Ares stood suddenly, staring at the woman in his arms. She was a young girl with long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and dark blue eyes. Her skin was smooth and light tan. She was dressed a tunic of bright pink and trousers of dark blue. She wore shoes that were white and black with Nike written across the back of them. She didn't look much older than sixteen or seventeen. The girl looked at Ares, let out a squeak and scrambled ungracefully from his arms.
"Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew!" she kept saying as she moved away from him. The girl kept brushing herself off like she had just landed in manure.
Hercules watched with slight amusement.
"Hey!" Ares snapped.
She stopped, looking at him.
"We're in the middle of a fight here," Ares snapped.
"Fight?" The girl looked around, her eyes stopping on Hercules. Her eyes grew huge and she smiled. "IT WORKED!" she squealed with an excited wave of her arms.
"What...worked?" Hercules asked. He mused that she looked vaguely familiar to him.
"WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT HERE!" Ares yelled.
"Oh put a sock in it, hot lips," the girl said, waving her hand at Ares.
Hercules raised his eyebrows when a piece of white fabric appeared in Ares' mouth. The girl glanced back.
With an angry snort she hissed between her teeth, "By the Fates! I did not mean literally damnit!"
The white cloth disappeared.
The girl smiled, walking up to Ares. She slid her arm around his neck and began to twirl his chest hair in her fingers.
"Ares, sweetheart," the girl said, leaning close to him. In an amazingly seductive voice for someone her age she said, "Look, I know you really want to fight. And...well...you do look good fighting--"
Ares looked at her in surprise. "Do I know you?"
"No. But I really need to talk to Hercules. I'm sure whatever little matter you have to fight about could wait...couldn't it? I mean, someone as charming and handsome and strong as you surely could find it in his black heart to grant one, lowly mortal this one request...couldn't he?"
Ares looked from Hercules to her and back. He let out a soft sigh, looking at her.
"Yes."
She kissed his cheek and hugged him. In a normal voice she cried, "You are the bomb! Thank you."
Ares pointed at Hercules. "We are not finished!"
Ares disappeared and the girl looked at Hercules. She held her hands in front of her, pursed her lips together in a tight smile of mock innocence. The sounds of battle had disappeared. The woman hurried the children out of the barn, leaving the two alone.
"Who are you?" Hercules asked.
She smiled. Her smile was perfect and gorgeous; it lit up her face for an instant.
"My name's Penta. You don't know me. But, uhm, I know you. And I really need your help. You...and...and...oh damn!" Penta dug into a pocket in her trousers and pulled out a piece of white parchment with blue lines. Written in an alphabet unfamiliar to Hercules were words scribbled across the back. "Oh yeah...Iolaus, Joxer, X...X...X-ena?"
"Xena," Hercules corrected her.
"Oh." She flashed him a smile. "And, uhm, Gabrielle and Nebula Oh...and I gotta," she turned the paper over. "Get a stone from Mount Olympus, a sliver of the Cronos stone, a scale of the Hydra you killed, a few hairs from the mane of one of Apollo's horses." She threw him a sweet smile. "And I have to do it in five days, uh, sunrises."
Hercules crossed his arms across his chest. "And why do you need all of us and those items?"
"I was told you'd ask me that," Penta started, "We--"
"Told by who?"
"Herc!" Iolaus said, running into the barn. He stopped, staring at Penta.
Hercules motioned Iolaus to wait. Iolaus looked at him then Penta, but kept quiet.
"Who told you I would ask why?" Hercules asked again.
"Oh...someone," Penta said. She folded the parchment and slid it back in her pocket. "Look," she looked at Hercules with a heavy sigh. "One of my brothers was supposed to be here, not me. My dad always gets upset with me, tells me to get my head out of the clouds and stop dreaming," Penta offered a weak grin, fighting back tears. "Uhm, but, uhm..," Penta swallowed. "See...you...I'm assuming this is Iolaus," she pointed at Iolaus. "You two, uhm, know Dahok. The evil dude that's like a thorn in everyone's side. And uhm...well...in the future he's found a way to capture all the gods and goddesses and imprison them in the past...I mean, now. And, well, I'm not exactly supposed to be here, but my brother got caught too...'cause he's like a god and was on Olympus with everyone else when Dahok caught everybody. But I wasn't there...I was on Earth with my mom, and so it's up to li'l old gutless me to do this. See," she pulled the paper back out again, holding it up as if it were proof to her story, "My dad had written down what to do when this happened, he'd found a way to destroy Dahok once and for all. But he said that it could only be done after they were captured and here in the past when Dahok was the weakest. He had foreseen it happen or something like that, but I guess Dahok knew he had and attacked when he wasn't expecting him to. He wrote down what my brother was supposed to do and gave it to my mother for when it happened, but..." Penta looked sadly at the paper. "I need your help, Hercules."
Hercules and Iolaus looked at each other, then Penta. They turned and left the barn. Penta's mouth wagged in silence for a moment, then she ran to catch up to them. She hopped in front of them so they had to stop.
"I need your help, Hercules! Please!" Penta begged.
"We've had all the dealings with Dahok that we're going to have," Iolaus said. "And he's not someone that you just...kill."
"But...I can. I know how," Penta argued.
Hercules reached out to lay his hands on her shoulders and she quickly stepped back.
"Don't touch me until you agree. You can't touch me until then," Penta commanded.
"Why?" Hercules asked, crossing his arms.
"You just can't. Please," Penta begged. "I need help. I know this all sounds far-fetched and if I were you two I'd have a hard time swallowing it too, but I need help. I need your," she pointed at Hercules. "Help. I was told to send myself back here to this very day and this very spot. I was told you'd be here having it out with Ares and he'd be standing there to catch me. I was told right. Please, I'll get down on my knees to beg if I have to. I'm not above begging shamelessly."
"No," Hercules said.
Penta dropped to her knees in a praying position and began to beg. People stopped what they were doing and stared. Hercules and Iolaus both looked nervously around.
"All right!" Hercules agreed suddenly.
"What!?" Iolaus cried, staring at Hercules.
Hercules looked at him, not sure what to say.
Penta stopped begging. "Really? You'll help? Honest?"
"We'll...help," Hercules reluctantly agreed.
Iolaus smacked his forehead, turning around. He spun and grabbed Hercules' arm.
"This is Dahok, we're talking about, Herc. Remember him? He killed me! And then he tried to kill you and everyone else. And how do we know this isn't a trap."
"HEY!" Penta sprung to her feet with her fists on her hips. "Do I look like a trap?"
The two looked at her, then each other, then back and answered, "Yes."
Penta looked genuinely hurt and crossed her arms. "Fine. I'll just...figure out how to do this alone. Thanks for nothing, guys," Penta turned and started walking away.
Hercules looked at Iolaus. Iolaus rolled his eyes.
"Let's play along for a little while, Iolaus. If it is a trap...we need to stop it."
Iolaus sighed, looking at Penta. "I just don't like fighting Dahok. He's plain evil."
Hercules smiled. "Look at it this way...you've only used up two of your nine lives."
Iolaus shot Hercules a glare then started walking after Penta.
"The first thing we have to do is convince her to get different clothes," Iolaus said.
Hercules smiled.
Penta looked down at her dress, then Hercules. "A dress?"
"You agreed you needed to blend in," Iolaus said.
"I hate dresses," Penta informed him.
"People were talking with what you were wearing before," Iolaus pointed out.
Penta scowled down at the dress she was wearing.
"Besides, it looks good on you. You're beautiful," Hercules said.
Penta looked up through her bangs at him. "Flattery isn't getting you anywhere."
Hercules shrugged and smiled. "Does it earn me a smile?"
Penta smiled at him, looking up. "I suppose."
Iolaus walked inside the building to pay for the dress, leaving the two alone. Penta let out a sigh.
"You know...I never said thanks for you two changing your mind. That was really big of the both of you."
Hercules furrowed his brow. "Big of the both of you?"
Penta laughed, walking down the steps to stand by his side. "That's to say, I think it was nice of both of you. Especially Blondie...I know he's totally against it," Penta through the door of the merchant's shop at Iolaus. He who was talking with the merchant. "Course, I figured he would be after his experience with the evil dude."
Hercules looked at Penta. "His experience?"
Penta looked at him. "Well...yeah. I mean...the evil dude like killed 'im. He said that back in the other village. Then he was brought back from the dead by the archangel Michael."
Hercules started to say something but Iolaus came running down the stairs to join them.
"Ready," Iolaus said.
Hercules glanced at Penta, then Iolaus, and then started walking. Iolaus grabbed Penta's arm and she looked at him.
"What's with him?" Iolaus asked.
"I dunno. I told him I understood what your hang up with Dahok was and he got all weirded out on me," Penta shrugged, pulling away from Iolaus to follow Hercules.
Iolaus shrugged and followed the two.
Hercules pushed the stew around in his bowel, thinking as he did. Iolaus was nibbling his stew, concerned about his friend's unusual behavior. Penta had finished her stew and was looking over the pieces of white parchment.
"Who are you?" Hercules asked, breaking the silence.
Penta looked up at him. "Huh?"
Hercules sat his bowl down and leaned on his legs. He looked right into Penta's eyes. "Who. Are. You?"
"I told you who I am."
"No you haven't. We know your name. We know you claim to be from the future. We know you are determined to kill Dahok, but we don't necessarily believe you."
Iolaus sat his bowl down. It wasn't like Hercules to be so rude like this.
"And back in the village, when I went to touch you, why wouldn't you let me? Who are you Penta? Why are you here? How do you know so much about Iolaus and I?"
Penta carefully folded the parchment, muttering, "Mother warned me about this."
"Who is your mother? And about what?" Hercules asked.
Penta put the parchment in her travel bag beside her and looked at Hercules. "I can't answer all your questions. One must not know too much about the future. My mother is mortal," Penta sat cross-legged, looking at the fire. "As I said before, my brother is supposed to be here. The second oldest to be exact. Like me, he's a god. I couldn't let you touch me because I have the gift of persuasion," Penta looked at Hercules. "Mother told me that because of that, I must not let you or any of the others who will participate touch me. She told me that you must choose to help of your own free will, otherwise the ceremony will fail and we'll all die. I know you two don't believe me about killing Dahok and I can't give you any reason to believe me. My word is all that I have to offer. Past that, I guess you'll have to follow your own hearts," Penta smiled at Hercules. "Mother told me you would question me and my motives. She said that was your way and it was good. Mother told me everything about you and Iolaus and the others. She said I would need to know the links that bind you to give me strength through the ceremony."
"Where is this ceremony to take place?" Hercules asked.
Penta's face went deadpan. She looked at Iolaus who was looking at the ground. The sudden silence made him look up and she met his eyes.
"In Nebula's palace...where you first died," Penta said to Iolaus.
Iolaus looked from Hercules to Penta, visibly shaken by what she'd said.
Penta looked down at her hands. "I must not fail. They don't think anyone is coming to get them...but I am."
"The gods are petty," Hercules started, "They won't care. They--"
"Are the gods of the future," Penta looked at Hercules. "The old ones are petty and play games with mortals. But the new ones, the young ones, they are not. They help where they can and they often fight with the old gods. But without the old gods, the new ones would not exist. My father is a good one...to mortals he is good."
"Who is your father?" Iolaus asked.
"I can't tell you," Penta let out a soft sigh. "And it doesn't matter anyway. I have to do this and that's that."
"You and your father don't get along, do you?" Hercules asked.
Penta grew quiet. "You have to be around a person long enough to not get along with them."
Hercules understood that her father must be like Zeus. Absent through most of her life like Zeus had been through Hercules' life.
"Then why are you going to save them?" Iolaus asked.
Penta looked at him. "To save my brothers and mother and mortals."
"And mortals?"
"When I left my world was a living...like living in the worst part of Hades because there was no longer the balance of good or evil or neutral. Dahok was slowly defeating other gods in other lands. While I don't think he'd beat the Hebrew's one god, I can't risk that. I left my mother in that world and I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to her because I got weak all of a sudden. I have to do it."
"Then we'll make sure you do," Hercules said.
Penta looked at him in surprise. "What?"
Hercules smiled. "We will help you destroy him."
"Besides, I have some payback I've been itching to give," Iolaus said, leaning back against a log.
Penta stood, looking down at Iolaus. "If that is why you'll be going, then you will not be permitted in the ceremony. This is to be done because we know Dahok must die or our worlds will die."
Penta turned and disappeared into the forest. Iolaus looked at Hercules.
"You're sure you want to go through with this?" Iolaus asked.
"Yes."
Iolaus shrugged and began gathering up the dishes. "Then I guess I'll have to work on my motives."
Hercules forced a smile, but the conversation had left him with more questions than answers.