Love Vs. Mischief
Author: Alicia
Rating: PG
Summary: Xena's in trouble with Ares and Aphrodite...
Disclaimer: There's no way in Tartarus that I own them, Baby!
"Ares, you have to do something about that little terror!" a furious Aphrodite screamed.
Ares barely concealed the chuckle that escaped his lips. "Now, sis, she is the Goddess Of Mischief, it's her job."
"Oh, come on bro! She's the Goddess Of Discord, not Mischief, and if you don't stop her from coming after my domain and becoming too much like your dead twin, Dis, then I'm gonna have Zeus hand her over to someone else to raise!" Aphrodite let out in frustration.
With restrained rage and concern, Ares disappeared and transported himself to the temple, if only to talk some sense into Xena.
Unfortunately, his concern didn't outweigh his rage...
*~*~*
"Xena!!!!"
The dark-haired goddess gulped as she looked at her friends, Cupid and Hercules. She'd never heard Ares take that tone of voice with her, but he'd heard the same tone a couple of years ago, when he'd nearly blasted that nasty priestess for slapping her.
She demurely sat herself down on the edge of her bed, applying her 'puppy dog' look while she waited...
Cupid groaned and stepped back as his father thundered into the bedchamber. Hercules stood in front of Xena, wanting to protect his best friend from his half-brother's wrath.
With a wave of his hand, Ares sent his tiresome brother back home, just as his mother arrived. Hercules looked around, realizing where he was... "Hey!"
Back at the temple, Ares was glaring at his adorable charge, but not even her stunning eyes could erase the fear of losing her, from the God Of War's heart. A chair appeared in front of Xena. Cupid watched curiously as his father sat down and cupped Xena's chin, gently forcing her gaze to his own.
"You, young lady, are in a heap of trouble, and if we don't get you out of it, we're both dead..." he murmured to the young goddess.
Xena sniffled pitifully. Even though she hoped to get out of being punished, Xena realized just how much trouble she'd caused. Normally, Ares wouldn't care if she'd messed with another god's powers, but he seemed genuinely serious about what he was saying. Even in her preteen state, she knew to listen carefully and take heed of everything he said.
"We've got a problem kiddo. Aphrodite wants to take you away from me, because of what you did today...she doesn't want you to end up like my twin sister." The god frowned as he remembered his twin.
Xena concentrated hard, but as much as she tried, she couldn't recall ever hearing of, or meeting, Ares' twin sister. "Who?"
Ares sighed. He really didn't like discussing Discord, not even with Xena, not yet...
Cupid took a deep breath as he noticed his father's reaction. "Aunt Discord had your mantle, kid, Goddess Of Discord. We always called her that because it suited her. She was the pure embodiment of the title. The only problem was that she always went too far, and that's why Dad prefers to call you the Goddess Of Mischief. You're nothing like her."
Tears shimmered in Xena's eyes once more, this time with absolute sadness. She turned to Ares, "You don't think I'm good enough to be the Goddess Of Discord?" She sniffled again and wiped her eyes. "Aphrodite probably didn't even suggest taking me away, you probably thought of it all by yourself!" she accused in anger and despair.
Neither Xena or Ares noticed Cupid leave the room in a shower of bright beams...
*~*~*
"Mother!" bellowed the furious God Of Love.
"What do you want, Cupie? I know that you've been with that little troublemaker, Xena..." she flung at him.
Cupid glared at his mother. "When did she become a troublemaker, Mom? Is it just because she fooled around with a few of your matches? I've got to tell you that I'm more than disappointed, Mom, you've really got that poor girl going."
Aphrodite tightened her jaw. She couldn't help having a quick temper. "I guess the little tyke is supposed to do that kind of thing, and at least we can be grateful that she's nowhere near as bad as the original Discord..." Aphrodite shuddered at the thought.
Cupid regarded his mother sadly. "You should have thought of that before telling Dad that you wanted to take Xena away from him..."
The Goddess Of Love groaned at the premature and unreasonable statement she'd put to Ares. "What happened?" she asked, suddenly concerned. Aphrodite knew how much Ares loved the little munchkin, even though she could be a little brat, or maybe in spite of it...
"Take a look for yourself, Mom," Cupid said, indicating to the mirror to their left. The couple stared into the mirror as an image formed. Xena was crying hysterically at Ares, who was, unsuccessfully, trying to comfort the girl.
"Don't touch me!" Xena cried as Ares tried to hold her close. She brought her hand up and blasted Ares with a ball of energy, sending him flying across the room. She flung herself onto her bed and continued to cry, murmuring to herself that nobody loved or wanted her, as Ares slowly got up and watched her from the door to the bedchamber, the look on his face pleading the ignorant goddess to understand...
Aphrodite gasped as she fully understood what she'd done. One careless statement had caused a rift so great between the closest god and goddess on Mt Olympus. "And I call myself the Goddess of Love," Aphrodite wailed into a handkerchief.
She disappeared in her trademark flower petals...
*~*~*
By the time Aphrodite worked up enough courage to face Xena, she was sound asleep, tear stains trailing down her cheeks. A furious Ares appeared in Xena's bedchamber, shortly after 'Dite did. "Get out!" He kept his voice low, but still threatening. "Haven't you done enough?!?!"
The goddess bit her lip. "I came to apologize. I didn't mean any of this to happen. I was just blowing off a little steam, bro, can't you understand that?"
Ares' jaw clenched painfully. "Oh, I understand all right, but that doesn't change anything, sis. Xena's mad as Tartarus, and I think that facing either of us right now would send her over the edge."
"Go 'way!" came the indignant cry.
Aphrodite rushed to Xena's side. "Oh, I'm so sorry, munchkin! I didn't mean it! And don't worry about my bro, he still loves you, I should know, I am the Goddess Of Love," she reasoned.
Xena flinched as Aphrodite laid her hand on Xena's shoulder. "I don't care."
This wasn't going well. "How about I take you shopping?" Aphrodite suggested.
Xena looked mildly interested, then shook her head.
The Goddess Of Love tried again. "How about we go shopping in the future, about a couple of thousand years?"
Xena once again considered the offer. "Is Ares going?"
The God Of War was unsure how to answer. "Umm, probably. I might go..."
Xena didn't react. "Can Hercules come too?"
Aphrodite glanced at Ares stony expression. The god reluctantly nodded. "Sure," Aphrodite agreed after receiving her brother's assent.
"Okay," came the quiet murmur as Xena closed her eyes and went back to sleep...
The End