Rating: PG
Timeline: Xena's about eight years old...
Summary: Ares takes Xena out for some fun with the mortals...
Disclaimer: There's no way in Tartarus that I own them, Baby!
Note: Sorry that this has taken so long to post...Ü
"I'm bored, Ares..."
Ares turned away from his warlords, to where only he could see the
miniature goddess sitting on his throne as if she owned it. "Give me a
minute to deal with this lot, then we'll go somewhere interesting."
The three warlords that were listening to Ares, regarded him
strangely. "Who are you talking to, my Lord?"
Ares turned back to his men. "A friend." He handed over the
plans for attacking Athens. "Now go, take down Athena's temple, then
report back to me..."
The three men bowed, then quickly left.
The God Of War turned back to his charge and smiled. "What's the
matter, sweet, couldn't find your little buddy to play with?"
Xena scowled. Herc had been too busy for her lately. He had a
new best friend, Iolaus. "I don't like him anymore..."
Ares barely repressed the grin that was threatening to overtake his
features. He'd been waiting for his little brother to stuff up. Xena
wasn't the forgiving type...
"Come on, then." The god held his hand out to her. Xena grabbed onto
it with an excited squeal. The couple quickly disappeared in a
flash.
*~*~*
Ever since their little shopping escapades, Ares had become more tolerant
of his half-mortal brother, but there were times when Xena had more fun with
Hercules, or when Ares was too busy to go and have some fun with Xena.
The God of War had never believed that he'd ever be too busy to go and play
with Xena...It hadn't been until Cupid had pointed out to him just how long it
had been since Ares had ventured out with Xena, that he'd realized that he'd
been neglecting the young goddess.
Ares had told himself that the next time Xena asked, he'd drop what he was
doing and just take her out for a little fun with the mortals...
*~*~*
"So, what are we going to do, Ares?" Xena looked up at him with her
bright, blue eyes. The god couldn't understand how he could have ever
thought that war was more important than his little goddess.
"I thought that maybe we could play a few jokes on the mortals...what do
you say? Do we ask Cupid and 'Dite to join us?"
Xena frowned, then shook her head. "Nope! Just us...Can we
start with Hercules and his new 'friend'? I don't like him
anymore..." Her lower lip began to tremble pathetically.
Ares chuckled and lifted her up into his comforting embrace. "Don't
worry, sweet. When we get through with Hercules, he'll be begging you to
be his friend again..."
The goddess giggled as Ares began tickling her. "Stop it!"
Ares did as he had been commanded. "And we're off..." he murmured as
they disappeared into the aether...
*~*~*
Hercules and Iolaus were walking through the market place in Corinth, not
far from their own houses.
"Hey, Herc! I heard that there's a Hydra a few provinces away!
I wanna go see," Iolaus told his new best friend enthusiastically.
Hercules agreed. "That'd be pretty cool. How about we get Jason
as well?"
It was then that Ares and Xena appeared behind them, unseen.
Hercules, being the demigod that he was, felt the sudden shift, but didn't
realize what it was.
"Ares! He's going after Snuggles!" Xena cried out.
Ares cringed at the name of her favorite pet, but was still furious.
"Don't worry, he won't hurt her."
The godly duo left as quickly as they came...
*~*~*
Ares and Xena arrived at Snuggles' cave long before Hercules, Iolaus and
Jason did. The God of War just stood by the wall of the cave as Xena got
up onto the Hydra's back and started whispering in its ear.
For the life of him, he couldn't begin to understand Xena's reasoning for
calling the monster 'Snuggles'. When Hera had first gifted Xena with the
large reptilian creature, the Goddess of Discord had approached the baby Hydra
and had given it a hug, not realizing that the tiny monster would one day grow
into a ferocious beast. The goddess had only been five or so at the time,
but in the four or so years that had passed, Xena hadn't gotten any less
attached to it.
"Sweet, why don't we just zap the Hydra out of here and back to the Halls
of War?" Ares 'suggested'.
Xena stopped whispering to the Hydra long enough to look up and shake her
head. "Snuggles wants to play!"
Ares shook his head. He couldn't sworn that the damn beast had
smirk. He shrugged off the thought just as he felt his brother's presence
just down the path. "Hey, Sweets, baby bro is here..."
The two immortals made themselves visible to the Hydra. Snuggles laid
down on the floor of the cave, not making a sound, as if lethargic, pretending
to not be interested in the three mortals that were now entering it's humble
abode...
*~*~*
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this, Iolaus," Hercules murmured, a
little wary of the lack of noise.
"Hey! You didn't need much convincing, buddy. You're the one
who said to bring Jason along..." Iolaus protested.
Jason chuckled nervously. "You're both big wusses. Herc, you're
half-god, you don't need to worry about a little bitty Hydra."
It was then that they came across the Hydra in question. "Or maybe,
not so little..." Iolaus gulped.
"It doesn't look so tough!" Jason challenged. "I'll bet we could take
it on and chop it up into itty bitty bite-sized pieces before it even gets
up!"
The three boys charged the monster. Just as the boys got close, the
supposedly despondent Hydra let out a small cough, releasing a small cloud of
smoke from it's mouth. It took only a second to realize that the
Hydra wasn't going to get up. Herc, Iolaus and Jason halted and slowly
lowered their weapons.
"Do you think it has a chest infection or something?" Hercules asked,
scratching his head lightly.
"Do Hydra's even get sick?" Iolaus wondered aloud.
Familiar laughter caught the trio unaware. Suddenly, the Hydra rose
and let out a ferocious roar, followed by a breath of fire. It shocked and
scared the boys, who dropped their weapons completely and ran out of the cave,
not stopping until they reached the market place in Corinth.
*~*~*
"I have to admit, princess, that that little exercise was good fun!" Ares
complimented between fits of laughter.
Xena giggled as she started patting the Hydra's rough skin. Ares
silently admitted that his princess' pet wasn't half bad. He gave it a
good scratch behind the ear and was rewarded with a playful swat on the behind
from the Hydra's tail.
Only the Goddess of Mischief found it hilarious when it sent Ares flying
across the cave...
The End