Chapter Ten
"What's he doing?" Kiyoshi asked.
"Trying to break into the Museum," Xena replied taking out her sword.
"Why?"
"Because he wants us dead. Stay." She disappeared in a flash and appeared in front of Ares.
"Xena, aren't you looking immortal these days." Xena just stared at him.
"I spent years on this museum Ares, you're not going to destroy it." Ares shrugged.
"Yes, well when the real Xena returns maybe I'll think about not destroying it, but then again the real Xena wouldn't care." He sent a bolt of lightning at her. She let it hit her as her skin absorbed it. Lightning never phased her it couldn't even knock her back. It helped that some things never left their mark, but there was a tingle of pain.
"Not very powerful," Eve smirked appearing behind him. "Getting weaker with age I see."
"You," He said angrily. Like Xena, Eve was dressed to fight. The smirk on her face reminded him of Livia, but something in her eyes let him know that Livia didn't exist anymore, just as the Destroyer of Nations didn't exist in Xena anymore. They had merged into one, and were no longer warring parties inside one body. That angered him, what was he to prey on now?
"Nothing, Ares, you've got nothing," Xena told him as if she knew his thoughts.
"I will have everything," Ares told her. Eve chuckled.
"Everything of what, real soon mankind will truly realize the error of war and peace will fill the earth." Ares looked between them both as he began to laugh.
"HA!" He stated. "Maybe just maybe if we'd had this conversation when I had first got out, you might have had a shot of tricking me. But I've been out a few decades and believe me, these mortals have no chance of ever achieving peace as you see it."
"Your right Mortals will have their wars, but damn it if you'll be around to make it worse than it already is. Wars still happen for a reason, but with you around they'll never learn than the world will be doomed."
"So mother and daughter are going to take on the God of war."
"No, your sister will too." Ares turned to see Aphrodite standing before him.
"Well well where have I seen you before?" Ares asked out loud, and it was clear he wasn't looking for an answer. "Oh yes that's right you're my whore of an ex-sister who said she would be my queen." He pointed to Xena. "Instead for more than two centuries she's been fucking Hercules, Dad's favorite."
"Futures change with actions Ares," Aphrodite told him. "Yes, Xena loved you, I didn't lie to you about that, I don't lie about love. She loved you and you destroyed it. You destroyed that love Ares, not because of anything we did, but because of what you did."
"Your actions shape your future, Ares," Xena told him. "Frankly you fucked my daughter, that doesn't exactly scream love."
"HEY!" Ares pointed his sword at Xena. "I did not know she was your daughter at the time."
"Yes, but when you did find out that certainly didn't stop you from screwing me after now did it," Eve told him.
"Yes, your actions most definitely killed the love inside."
"Don't bullshit me, you were meant to be mine, Xena!"
"Bullshit me, he says," Hercules said appearing. "Love is not something you get just because someone has it or rather had it for you." Ares turned around to look at him eyes filling with rage. "No, no love is something that much grow and when it blooms that is when you may have it because you took care of it."
"No, we took care of it," Xena told him. "Ares you let my love for you wither and die, and you have to live with the consequences of your decisions. You have a new path and destiny, and it does not involve me by your side."
"Or me, as a replacement."
"Or me," Hercules said.
"Or me," Aphrodite told him sadly. She loved him, but he had made his path and now he could not remain outside of the casket.
"AGH!!!!" Ares yelled before he attacked Hercules first before they all disappeared into open space to avoid a fire once again like what he had done to Bath and Bristol. Three sets of swords clashed with that of the God of war's. Sparks flew and Aphrodite had the task of keeping them from destroying the wilderness around them.
"You can't win, so why don't you just be good and come with us to your coffin?" Hercules asked him angrily.
"Because that would make it too easy for you, no I am going to fight and kill you, Hercules once and for all. You're dead." He disappeared to Mount Olympus where he knew they could not touch him. There power did not extend to Mount Olympus as his did and he knew it.
"He'll remain up there a few days," Aphrodite told them. "Just enough time to clean up and have it all destroyed again. Everyone nodded.
"Next time it's straight to the cavern he's getting back in that coffin." Everyone nodded and disappeared back the museum except for Aphrodite.
"Mom!"
"Aunt, Uncle, Eve!" Kiyoshi cried. Xena hugged them both as did Eve and Hercules before Hercules picked Sovanara and she picked up Sovann.
"There's been a death," Michelle told them.
"Who?" Xena asked alarmed.
"Pebbles, the one you just hired," Michelle told her. The people around them had slowly gotten back to work when Michelle had flipped the switch out of necessity.
"How did it happen?" Xena asked sadly.
"Glass through the neck, I'm sorry mum, I know you wanted her back."
"Wanted who back?" Hercules asked.
"Pebbles was Gabrielle, but I don't know anything about her family, she could really be the last this time around." They nodded sadly.
"She'll come back, you'll see, she always does. Reincarnation is not limited to being reincarnated in the same race looking exactly as you did in the last life."
"Yes, I know, that is why I am not shedding tears I know she will be here soon." They nodded and helped to get everything cleaned up. Thankfully the artifacts were not destroyed in any big way that couldn't be fixed.
"Take them down to the vault we'll start the restoration process in a few days," Xena told them. They nodded and moved the statues that Joxer and Meg had put up in their tavern down to the vault.
"Ma'am the scrolls are damaged." Xena looked them over.
"Take those to the vault as well, Michelle?" Xena looked around and Michelle poked her head in the room.
"Yes mommy?" Michelle asked.
"Hold down the fort here, any damage make sure its taken to the vault, when everything is cleaned up I want you to organize everything for the restoration process in a few days." Michelle nodded.
"Okay, where are the keys." Xena tossed them to her.
"Kiyoshi!" He came to her quickly. "Take Sovann and Sovanara home. Stay here, and put them to sleep in the roof apartment. Stay with them now." He nodded taking them. Michelle will be in the vault when they all clear out."
"Yes ma'am, come on guys." He took the twins away. Xena turned and found Eve in the other room and motioned to her. Eve gave her last instructions before she followed her mother into her office and they disappeared to the second museum where priceless Art lay. There was destruction there as was all over the city from the tremors, her two museums had taken the worst of it. Her windows were shattered and glass was being swept up and the windows boarded up.
"Mrs. Hayes, what should we do with the artifacts they're vulnerable."
"Put them in the vault downstairs every last one." They nodded and got to work.
"Don't you have anti-theft spells on here?" Eve asked.
"Of course I do, but they don't know that." Eve nodded. They oversaw it all marking some paintings for restoration. Once they had seen to everything Eve posted a notice that Museum would be closed until further notice. They disappeared and reappeared next to Hercules in battle leathers with their swords.
"As soon as he comes down we get him back into that coffin." They nodded as they stood beside him.
"He could stay up there forever and he knows it," Eve commented.
"We've got forever to wait for him, we can be gone at a moment's notice," Hercules told her.
"Besides the God of war would never hide or else we'd think him a coward." Xena made sure that he heard her. A boulder came flying at them. They easily moved out of its way.
"Won't be long now," Eve muttered.
"I'm sorry sir we're closed, because of the earthquake," Michelle told him, as a man approached looking very much stifle, but she didn't know that. She was more than sure he wasn't a guard and didn't run in at the sight of him. However she was about hurry in seeing as it was odd for him to be anywhere near a museum to visit considering the earthquake that had taken place today.
"Me, I'm just here on some business for my Uncle little girl." Michelle's eyes went wide as he pulled out a gun and held it to her head. Unfortunately she was outside checking the mail before she locked up.
"Now invite us inside so that I can enter." She heard the approach of several more pairs of feet.
"No," Michelle told him.
"Do it or I will kill your mother."
"You can't kill my mommy, she's Xena bitch, she never dies," Michelle told him defiantly as he pulled her to him. He cocked the gun and the sound sent fear through Michelle's body. She went rigid and clamped her mouth shut rethinking the insulting the man when she was at the disadvantage. If only she could just run inside without being shot in the head.
"You'll let me in or I will go after everyone who is vulnerable in your family like a certain brother named Ronald or the butler at home, maybe your USA swim team mates…" He trailed off on purpose as her mind thought of all the other people that could be hurt.
"Point the way boss we'll go take care of them," said a man who was grinning from ear to ear.
"Okay, okay," Michelle having complete faith in her mother and father saving her. "You…"
"Michelle what is taking you so long with the mail?" Kiyoshi asked coming out with Sovann and Sovanara by the hand. In their surprise and shock, shots filled the air as Michelle screamed. Finally the shots stopped and the weapons were lowered as Stifle covered Michelle's mouth.
"Grab them," Stifle told him. He looked at Michelle. "You let us in right now." Distraught Michelle nodded. He released her mouth.
"MOMMY HELP!" She screamed. A lone gunshot filled the air.