"Are you sure about this?" The woman asked, making her companion come to a halt.
"Of course I'm sure. Although we'll need to get you some new clothes."
"I thought you liked what I'm wearing." The woman replied with a suggestive smirk, making the man grin in response.
"Believe me I do, but you might attract some unwanted attention dressed the way you are."
"Are you worried?"
"Do I need to be?" He asked, and she just pulled him in for a kiss, the pair seperating moments later.
"Of course not."
Suddenly the woman's smile faded and she averted her gaze. However, the man put his hand on her chin forcing her to look into his eyes.
"Stop worrying, they'll love you."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I love you." He replied, giving her another quick kiss before he took her hand, and led her towards the house. He opened the door and was immediately engulfed in a hug by his mother.
"Clark! Where have you been?"
The Last Son of Krypton smiled at his mother, returning her embrace before he spoke.
"It's a long story mom, but before I tell you, there's someone I want you to meet."
He pulled the woman close to him, only to feel her stiffen as his father walked into the room.
"YOU!"
The word came from two sets of voices, with both the woman and Clark's father pulling knifes as they saw the other.
"I don't know what you have done to my son, but I swear to you unless you undo it now, then you will not leave here alive." His father said, slowly advancing towards the couple, hate clear in his usually calm eyes as he looked at the woman.
"I didn't know you knew each other love." Clark said, making Jonathan scowl as he heard the word love, while the woman's eyes remained locked on Jonathan's.
"You could say that. He tried to kill me."
"You're not exactly an innocent Xena."
"Oh, but the oh so great Hercules is?" Xena scoffed, making no move to lower her blade. Meanwhile Clark was looking back and forth between Xena and his father, finally speaking after a moment.
"How about we all put the weapons away, and someone tells me what in the name of RAO is going on?!" He said firmly, and Xena nodded, sheathing her weapon in the scabbard at her hip.
"Clark, please tell me you didn't share your secret with her?"
"Why wouldn't I share my secret with my wife?" He retorted, making Jonathan's scowl deepen.
"Wife? Please tell me you're joking! Son whatever she's told you, you can't trust her. Xena is just a lying bitch, a tyrant who wants to be remembered, and she dosen't care who she has to kill to get what she wants."
"If anyone else had said what you just did I would kill them. That may have been true at one point, but it's not true anymore., that I promise you."
"How can you be sure? What do you even know about her?"
"More than I know about you apparently! Now how about we all sit down, and you start explaining things to me?" Clark said, and for a moment his father did nothing; finally, he put away his knife and sat down on the couch beside his wife, leaving the armchair for Clark and Xena. Clark solved that problem by sitting down and pulling his wife onto his lap, making Jonathan glare again. However, Clark just ignored him and waited for him to begin.
"My name wasn't always Jonathan Kent. Centuries ago I was called Hercules. One day I got home just in time to see Hera murder my wife and children. The only thing that was left were the ashes of where they slept."
"Murdering bitch." Martha muttered, making Clark look to his mother in shock.
"You knew?"
"Of course she knew. It's like you said son, why wouldn't I share my secret with my wife? Anyway, after that I traveled the world battling Hera and trying to help those that needed it. Eventually I ran into Xena. She pretended to be a warrior that was trying to prevent a tyrant named Petrolicus from taking over a series of villages. Petrolicus was a farmer son, and she was the tyrant. She ended up pretending to love my best friend Iollus and almost succeeded in having him kill me."
"I know. She told me everything. Now how about we skip to the big question. How the hell are you alive?"
Jonathan or Hercules depending on who you asked, just laughed before fixing his son with a wry grin.
"My last battle was against the Titans who escaped Tartarus thanks to Hera. It was the toughest battle of my life, and it nearly cost me my life. My father Zeus offered me a reward for my service. I asked him to let me die so I could be with my wife and children. However, Zeus refused saying that enough people had died in that battle. The Titans, Hera, and several thousand mortals had died, and he would not allow me to die as well no matter my reasons. Instead he offered me the next best thing; a life where I didn't have to be a hero. I could live a peaceful life."
"I have a hard time believing you of all people would want a life of bordem." Xena said.
"I frankly don't care what you believe, but for Clark's benefit, I'll explain. I was so sick of fighting that a life of bordem as you so put it seemed like the best thing besides death. I accepted, and I found myself living my life as Jonathan Kent. I had all my memories as Hercules, but none of his power or responsibility."
He was silent for a moment, as if merely enjoying the freedom and peace his current life had brought, when he looked towards Clark and spoke again.
"But enough about me. Tell me how you met Xena." He told him, the threat behind his words clear for all to hear. If Clark's explanation wasn't satisfactory, he may end up having to choose between his wife and his father.
"It started with Jor-El. He told me I had one more thing to do to gain the final crystal of knoweledge and complete my training. He opened a vortex and I walked inside."
Clark stepped out of the vortex, and wondered where he was. Well, wherever he was he knew it wasn't Kansas or at least not the Kansas he knew. He was surrounded by empty fields on all sides, and there seemed to be no people around. He scanned the horizon before he saw a cloud of smoke roughly a mile from his current position. Deciding that he had nothing to lose he attempted to run towards the smoke only to fall flat on his face.
'Great, no speed.' He thought as he picked himself up, seeing blood from where his palm had scraped a stone.
'Invilnerability's out too. Lovely.' He thought, wiping the blood on his pants, grateful that the skin was barely broken.
After about an hour he came to the outskirts of the camp, just in time to see a young woman taking off black armor. The woman appeared to be about twenty-three with raven black hair and a body that any woman would kill for.
"I did kill for it." Xena interjected, making Clark laugh before he continued his tale.
The woman was standing with men on either side of her, all wearing armor and carrying weapons. A horn sounded, and the woman began walking down the line. However, she had barely made it two feet before she was hit in the side with the butt end of a spear. She winced but made no move to defend herself, instead continuing down the line. With each and every step that she took the man would strike at her, but no matter how much it hurt she made no move to defend herself. By the time she got a quarter of the way down the line Clark had deduced what this was.
'It's some sort of test. Well test or not I can't just let her get hurt.' He thought before he ran into the camp, his sudden appearance startling everyone present. Without a second thought he ran into the line of men on the left side and punched two in the face, knocking them out cold. He took the sword from one of the unconscsious men, and it was just in time because one of the men swung at the young man's head with his sword. Clark managed to block it, but in the process he was pushed backwards until he was back to back with the woman.
"What are you doing here?" She demanded as he blocked another strike.
"I could ask you the same question." He replied, stabbing one man in the calf while the woman kicked another in the groin, making him keel over.
"You are interrupting a trial of honor!"
"Well I'm sorry, but get over it! You can explain this later, but for now how about we focus on not dying?" He retorted before slamming the butt of his sword into a man's stomach, finishing him with a slash to his throat.
"I guess you're not leaving me many options." She replied, sounding none too happy about it; it was a close thing but eventually the woman and Clark managed to defeat their enemies, the woman grabbing her armor before racing over to some horses.
"I hope you can ride." She said, throwing her leg over the back of one horse as Clark scrambled onto another. The two tore out of the camp, but not before Clark heard a cry of rage from behind him. They rode for close to five hours before the woman finally stopped her horse. She dismounted, leaving Clark to do likewise; however no sooner had his feet touched the ground when the Last Son of Krypton found the woman's sword at his throat.
"I should kill you for interrupting that gauntlet."
"Oh, I'm sorry for saving your ass. Tell me do you usually kill people before telling them your name or am I just the exception?"
"First of all, that was a warrior's test so do not think that you saved me. Secondly, I'm called Xena."
"I'm Clark Kent."
"I'll be sure to carve that on your tomb stone." She replied, digging the point of her blade into his neck.
"You could do that or you could let me help you."
"Now why would I possibly want your help?"
"Well from what I could tell you didn't have any friends back there and if the scream I heard as we left is any indication they'll be hunting you."
"I can handle myself."
"That may be true, but your odds of living increase quite a bit with someone watching your back."
"I don't need you to watch my back." She replied, but her blade had stopped digging into Clark's neck so he took that as a sign that he was getting through to her.
"Listen it's late. How about we make camp, get some rest and you can think about it. If you still want to kill me tomorrow then go ahead. I won't stop you. Just don't expect me to beg for my life."
"Alright." She said finally, removing her blade from his neck. She walked over to her horse and grabbed a saddlebag, opening it and throwing Clark a blanket. He nodded in thanks before walking to a side of the space they found themselves in and resting his head on the blanket, seeing Xena do likewise out of the corner of his eye.
"Do I have your word you won't try to kill me tonight?" He asked, and she scoffed.
"My word? What good is that? My word won't stop me from slitting your throat if I decide to."
"Where I'm from your word is all you have. You said that gauntlet back there was a test of honor? Well the person who breaks their word has no honor, and just in case you decide to try and kill me in the middle of the night..." He let his words trail off, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword. He would keep his word if Xeena decided to kill him tomorrow, but he never said he wouldn't defend himself tonight.
"Very well, you have my word. I won't try to kill you tonight." She replied, and he nodded, loosing his grip on his sword, but still keeping it within easy reach.
Hours later, neither Xena nor Clark had managed to enter the land of Morpheus, both of them too consumed with thoughts of the other. Clark was confused, wondering what Jor-El was playing at by sending him here, and wondering what role Xena played. Much as he hated himself for it, he couldn't help but be intrigued by her. She was beautiful, and the exact opposite of the girls from Smallville. She was lethal, dangerous, a warrior; the last thought made him grateful he had his sword within easy reach. If Xena did go back on her word, and try to kill him sometime during the night, he would have one hell of a fight on his hands.
Meanwhile Xena couldn't help but be impressed with the young man, albeit grudgingly. He may have interrupted her trial, but he proved he could handle himself in a fight. His sword skills were abysmal, but he did well for what Xena would bet was his first time wielding a blade. Also, he had no fear of death. Most people begged for their lives when she held a sword to their neck, but not Clark Kent. The young man actually agreed to let her kill him in the morning should she decide to, refusing to beg for his life. However, while he may be brave he wasn't naïve; he still kept his weapon within easy reach should he need it, a precaution the warrior princess took herself. Only a fool would allow themselves to rest in potentially hostile territory without a weapon nearby. Whatever else the young man may be, he most certainly wasn't a fool. Still conflicted about whether or not to kill the young man sleeping across from her, Xena allowed herself to enter the land of Morpheus.
A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter! Please read and review!