A/N: Here's part two! There's two or three more stories I have in this series, but if you have any ideas, you can put them in the reviews. Ummm, I'm gonna try a dedication.....to Katharine, who got me interested in Xena. Enjoy, and please R/R!
Disclaimer: Xena, Gabrielle, Ares, etc. don't belong to me, and I am not making any money off this story.
What The Future Brings, Part II
Summary: The girls fight to stop Ares without alerting the world as to who they are, but a dark nemisis makes things difficult for one.
Disclaimer: N'sync was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.
WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS
TEASER
GINA
Hello, Ares.
ADAM
Hello yourself, Xena. Long time no see.
VOICE
And you too.
Adam steps aside to reveal Heather
HEATHER
Hello, Mother.
Gina looks at Gabriella in shock. Gabriella shuts her eyes again.
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Clip from "Sacrifice II"
Hope steps out of her cocoon and walks down the stairs. Gabrielle stares at her.
HOPE
Hello, Mother.
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Woods.
Gabriella opens her eyes.
GABRIELLA
Hope?
HEATHER
Very good.(laughs)
ADAM
I've missed you three...and you most of all.
Moves toward Gina, but she stops him.
JEREMY
(running in) Leave them alone!
HEATHER
Who are you?
JEREMY
I'm Joxer The Mighty!
Stops and looks around, startled. Heather rolls her eyes.
HEATHER
Oh, no, not you again!
JEREMY
Now why did I say that?
GINA
We'll explain later.
Pulls him behind the girls to protect him. He eyes Gabriella, who smacks him.
GINA
I know what you're up to Ares. And I want you to know that it's not going to happen.....unless it's over my dead body.
ADAM
(laughs) Oh, yeah, that's Xena.
GABRIELLA
(whispers) What does he want?
GINA
Later. (to Adam) You just stay away from us.
The girls leave and pull Jeremy with them.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
Walking around
GABRIELLA
So, what does he want?
GINA
The one thing Ares always wanted was for Xena to embrace her dark past.
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Clip from "The Bitter Suite"
Xena and Ares are on a snowy cliff.
ARES
This whole....atonement kick you've been on lately, it's not you. You're full of fire, bending the worls to your will. Full of rage and revenge. Accept it, Xena. Embrace it.
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Walking.
EVA
We're not going to let him touch you, Gina.
GINA
Thanks, but this is my fight. You two didn't even believe it until it was almost too late. I don't want either of you getting hurt.
GABRIELLA
No way. The Warrior Princess, the Battling Bard, and The Messenger? We're all in it together.
Gina looks at her in surprise. She smiles sheepishly.
GABRIELLA
I went on the website, too.
They all laugh. Jeremy looks hurt.
JEREMY
Hey, what about me?
Gabriella laughs and smacks him again as they leave.
_____________________________________________________________________________
School the next day.
Jeremy finds Eva in the cafeteria and angrily slams his tray down on the table.
JEREMY
You killed me, Eva!
EVA
Huh?
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Clip from "Eve"
Joxer runs at Eve. She jams a sword through him.
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Cafeteria.
Eva shakes her head.
EVA
That wasn't me.
JEREMY
Yes it was! You murdered me in cold blood!
Slams his hand down on table.
JEREMY
Owww!
She laughs as he jumps up and runs away. Gabriella is sitting at another table and looks up. Heather saunters over behind her.
HEATHER
Pity he had to go. (Gabriella sees her) Oh, hello.
GABRIELLA
What do you want, Hope?
HEATHER
Join us, mother. Ares and I. We are going to ruls the world, and all who oppose us will be anhilated. So think carefully, mother. I really don't want to have to kill you.
She leaves.
Library.
Gina stands between the stacks of books, reading. Gabriella runs up, looking terrified.
GABRIELLA
Gina, problem.
GINA
Lemme guess. It's huge and potentially devastating.
GABRIELLA
Hope ust came to me. She said that she and Ares are going to take over the world, and kill anyone who stands against them!
GINA
(nods) Exactly what I just found here.
Hands book to Gabriella.
GABRIELLA
After the fall of the Greek gods, one will be reborn in the far future. An ally from the past will locate him, and they are to take part in a bloodletting ceremony that will prepare them for complete control of the world.
GINA
There is one flaw in his plan.
GABRIELLA
And what's that?
GINA
Hope. It says both of them are needed to fulfill the plan. If one's missing, it falls apart. Ares might still be immortal. I don't know. But we take Hope out, and we take him out.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
GABRIELLA
Gina, we can't kill her.
GINA
We won't. Ares will.
She leaves. Gabriella stays put.
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Clip from "Maternal Instincts"
GABRIELLE
Xena, I couldn't kill her. She's my daughter. You're a mother, you know this!
XENA
Maybe it's not too late. She's young, poison'll kill her if her powers aren't mature.
GABRIELLE
Poison? Xena, she is my child!
XENA
She is not a child! She is a body, a vessel, an instrument for evil, that is all!
_____________________________________________________________________________
At Gina's house.
Gina and Gabriella are sitting in front of the television. Gina rewinds a tape. She hits play, and "Motherhood" starts playing.
GINA
See? Hades fires a fireball at Xena. She ducks. Fireball hits Posedion. He dies.
Stops tape
GINA
We fake Ares out. Get him to do that to Hope. And she's gone.
GABRIELLA
Gina, don't you think this is going just a little too far?
GINA
She's killed hundreds of people. Don't you hink it's time she was paid back for the evil she's done?
Gabriella leaves. Outside, the bushes rustle.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Eva's house. Adam appears.
EVA
Yah-h-h-h!
Hits him in the head with a hairbrush.
ADAM
Oh, that was really, really mature, Liv.
EVA
My name is...or was..Eve.
ADAM
Whatever. Listen, we gotta talk......
_____________________________________________________________________________
The woods at night.
Gina and Gabriella walk along.
GINA
According to the map I found, they should be right-
Adam appears.
ADAM
Right here?
They freeze and pull out various weapons-a stick, a baseball bat, a rock. Gina has a frisbee.
ADAM
Yes, it was me in the bushes outside, Gina. I heard what you're planning. And you see, I just can't let that happen.
Heather appears.
HEATHER
Thought abpout that choice at all, Mother?
GABRIELLA
I have.
Moves to hit Heather with the rock, but Adam grabs Gina. Gabriella is too quick, though, and she grabs Heather as well.
GABRIELLA
Seems we have a standoff.
Smiles and raises rock over Heather's head, but Eva runs in.
EVA
No!
Knocks Gabriella away from Heather. Adam dissapears with Gina. Heather follows.
GABRIELLA
No! Gina! Gina!
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
Woods.
GABRIELLA
Gina!
EVA
Stop yelling. She's not coming back that way.
Gabriella turns and backhands Eva, who knocks her to the ground.
GABRIELLA
If I was going to kill Hope, that was my choice!
EVA
And why would I trust your choices? You sentenced me to death-
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Clip from "Path Of Vengeance"
Gabrielle is in a tent. A circle of Amazons is around her. Eve is tied up.
VARIA
What is your verdict, Gabrielle?
GABRIELLE
Guilty.
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Woods.
EVA
You killed my brother-
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Clip from "Maternal Instincts"
Xena runs into the tent.
XENA
Solan? Hey, Solan?
She goes to shake Solan, who falls back dead.
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Woods.
EVA
So why would I believe you?
GABRIELLA
Hope kiled your brother! I was trying to do the right thing and kill her!
Eva wobbles on her feet.
EVA
Yes. But you still condemmed me.
GABRIELLA
I had to uphold Amazon law, or they would have kicked me off the Council. Then I used my spot to fight for your life.
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Clip from "Path Of Vengeance"
GABRIELLE
No! I use my right to challenge! You are not Queen, Varia, until you defeat me!
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Woods.
Eva closes her eyes and sinks to her knees. Gabriella sits up.
EVA
I am so sorry. Ares told me to stop you. I listened to him because I thought that was who I was. The one who didn't like seeing people killed. But now Gina is gone, and it's all my fault!
GABRIELLA
Shh. It's not your fault. But we do still have to save Gina.(stands) Come on.
They leave.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Library.
Gabriella has the book Gina had earlier. The two are sitting at a table reading.
EVA
We've been through this ten times. What's the point?
GABRIELLA
But it says that the ally of Ares can only be defeated by experiencing the one thing she never has has. What do you soppose that means?
EVA
I don't know.
Heather appears.
HEATHER
Well, you'd better figure it out.
Laughs.
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
Library.
Gabriella and Eva stand.
HEATHER
I'm going to enjoy this.
Uses her powers and starts throwing books off the shelves at them. They duck and start throwing them back. One hits Heather.
HEATHER
Ah-hah! You have gotten better, Mommy!
GABRIELLA
Not good enough!
The window breaks and someone flies through. Gabriella breaks a leg off a chair to use as a staff, but it's only Jeremy.
JEREMY
Now there had to be an easier way to do that.
GABRIELLA
It's over, Hope.
HEATHER
I hate you!
Throws a table.
EVA
That's it! Love! Love is the key! That's what the book meant!
GABRIELLA
So what am I supposed to do?!
EVA
Focus your mind. Try and think not of what Hope has done that's wrong, but of what she's done right.
Gabriella shuts her eyes. Heather looks at her, unaware of what Eva's just said.
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Clip from "Gabrielle's Hope"
GABRIELLE
You were right, Xena
XENA
About what?
GABRIELLE
You said that one day I would have hope again. And here it is. So that's what I'm going to call her.....Hope.
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Clip from "Maternal Instincts"
Gabrielle kneels to talk to Hope.
GABRIELLE
The basket was all there was. I had to put you in it, or I had to watch you be killed. Now I had no choice.
HOPE
You loved me?
GABRIELLE
Yes. I prayed that the gods would protect you....and they did. They brought you home.
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Clip from "Sacrifice II"
Xena moves to kill Hope
GABRIELLE
No-o-o-o!!
Vaults over altar.
GABRIELLE
Hope!!
Runs up stairs and grabs Hope just as Xena is about to stab her. They fall into the pit.
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Clip from "A Family Affair"
HOPE
Is that why you never loved me?
GABRIELLE
I loved you, Hope. I just had to stop you.
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Library.
Gabriella opens her eyes.
GABRIELLA
I love you, Hope.
HEATHER
No.
She backs away.
GABRIELLA
Please believe me.
HEATHER
Stop it!
She clutches her head like she's in agony. Gabriella takes a step forward.
GABRIELLA
I love you, Hope, and I always will. Please don't think anything else. I will never stop loving you.
She reaches out to touch Heather's arm. As she does, a bright light erupts and surrounds them.
JEREMY
Gabriella!
Gabriella is thrown back out of the light. Eva and Jeremy run to her.
EVA
Gabriella! Are you okay?
GABRIELLA
I-I'm fine.
She woozily stand up. Jeremy hugs her just as Gina and Adam appear.
GABRIELLA
Gina!
Hugs her.
GINA
What'd you do?
EVA
Look.
They look over to where Heather was. Gabrielle and Hope are there. Hope is crying. Gabrielle hugs her. Heather sits on the floor looking terrified. Eva reaches out and pulls Heather away. Hope stops crying, and Gabrielle stands up and smiles at the group.
GABRIELLE
Thank you. Thank you all so much.
GABRIELLA
(smiles) Anytime.
Hope stands up and smiles, too.
HOPE
Thank you for helping me see that my mother loves me. I am forever in your debt.
EVA
Hope, there is more good in you than you will ever know.
Gabrielle and Hope vanish.
HEATHER
Okay, I'm clueless. What just happened?
GABRIELLA
Something good, Heather. Something good happened.
_____________________________________________________________________________
School dance.
Gabriella is dancing with Jeremy as Adam walks over to Gina, who's sitting alone.
ADAM
Gina, I'm-
GINA
You don't have to say you're sorry. That wasn't you.
He looks away, then looks back at her as "This I Promise You", by N'Sync starts playing.
ADAM
Gina, do you want to dance?
GINA
All right. But only once.
They walk out to the dance floor and start to dance.
N'SYNC
I've loved you forever
in lifetimes before.
And I promise you never
Will you hurt anymore.
I give you my word,
I give you my heart.
This is a battle we've won.
ADAM
Gina? I know you said you'd never date me, and I'm not sure if Xena loved Ares, but is there even a chance?
Gina closes her eyes.
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Clip from "Coiming Home"
ARES
Maybe as a mortal, I can experience something I never could as a god.
XENA
What's that?
ARES
You.
She kisses him.
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Dance.
Gina opens her eyes and smiles at him.
GINA
Oh, yeah.
They kiss.
N'SYNC
'Till the day my life is through,
this I promise you.
Ooh, I promise you.
END OF ACT FOUR