Part Twelve:

"Papa, I don't know what you mean," Adora mumbled.

Joxer gazed at his daughter sternly. "Adora, I will ask you one more

time. **Who** is this cat?"

Adora felt the tears coming. "He was being punished for something he

didn't do!"

Joxer looked confused. "Who was?"

"Uncle Jett."

"Jett? What in Tartarus does he have to do with this?"

"Adora and I overheard Grandma last night and we went and got him," Eve

explained.

"Got who?"

"Uncle Jett."

Joxer blinked. "Jett is here?"

"Yes sir."

Joxer suddenly looked down at the cat, who meowed loudly then back at

the girls and they both nodded slowly. He closed his eyes and mentally

counted to X before he opened

them again. "Now, let me get this straight. Are you trying to tell me

this cat is *Jett*?"

"Yes sir," Adora agreed, looking more miserable by the moment.

Joxer sighed loudly. "I see. Okay, I can believe that. You turned

Hercules into a boy. Why not Jett into a cat?"

"It was the only way to get him out with Eve! I couldn't teleport both

a man and girl and Uncle Jett didn't want to go."

Eve cleared her throat. "Well, actually Dorie, you really didn't give

him time to decide."

Adora hung her head. "I read his mind, Papa. He wanted to stay. He said

he was used to it."

Joxer sighed again and nodded. "Dorie, I know you meant well but you've

got to turn him back and return him to prison before the guards find

out that he's missing!"

Adora looked up at her father then back at Eve, who nodded in

agreement. "Okay." Adora waved her hand and when the bright light vanished,

there sat a black cat.

"Adora, what's wrong?" Eve started to look anxious.

"I don't understand! It should've worked!" Adora was beginning to

panic.

"It's okay, Dorie. Just try again," Joxer said in a soothing voice,

although feeling calm, cool and collected was the last way he felt inside.

Adora nodded, but before she could try again, Ares appeared. "I always

did want a black cat!" and with that he picked up Jett and disappeared

in a flash of blue-white lightning

before Joxer could react.

"ARES!" Joxer yelled and threw his hands up in the air. "OH GREAT!

That's all I need with Xena and Gabrielle gone!"

Adora looked at her father. "Papa, we can get him back! All I have to

do is..."

"Oh no you don't! All you have to do is stay here! **I'll** go to Ares'

temple and get Jett back."

"But Papa..." Adora started to protest.

"Adora, do as I say. You and Eve go back into the tavern. You're in

enough trouble as it is, young lady."

Eve took Adora's hand. "Come on, Dorie. We better do as we're told."

Adora nodded. "Please be careful, Papa."

Joxer went over and gave his daughter a hug. "I will, Dorie." He gave

Eve a hug and watched the girls go inside the tavern. Joxer then headed

towards Ares' temple,

wondering what on Earth he wanted with a cat.

******

Ares held Jett up by the scruff of the neck. "Now, Mr. King of

Assassins, you've got a job to do. You see, there's a rat you need to catch-"

Jett snarled at Ares. *Why should I do anything for YOU?*

Ares stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You know, you think way too much

for a cat, but I can fix that."

Jett yowled as Ares waved his hand and a bright spark of lightning shot

from his fingertips straight at the transformed triplet. When the light

cleared away, there was no

sign of Jett remembering who he really was. The God of War laughed as

he put the cat on the floor and disappeared with a loud crack of thunder

and a blue lightning flash. The cat

crouched down and stalked away in search of his prey.

The rat - actually a transformed Discord - squeaked in fright at the

sight of the cat. She scurried into a corner, trying to find a way to

escape when she saw it slowly approaching

her. The cat growled low in his throat as he came closer, knowing his

prey was near. Desperate, Discord suddenly leapt from the corner and

attempted to escape, but the cat

was faster. Leaping forward and reaching out with a paw, he caught her

by the tail.

*Ares! Ares!* Discord called out desperately. Ares popped back into the

temple. Seeing that the cat had Discord, he howled with laughter. Her

voice echoed angrily in his head.

*Stop laughing, you moron! This has gone far enough! Change me back

now!*

"But I think you look cute as a rat!" Ares sniggered, slapping his hand

on his thigh.

*Cute! I'll show you cute! Ares!* Discord snarled.

Ares was about to reply when he heard something. "Quiet! We've got

company." He listened and grinned as he heard soft cursing, recognizing the

voice.

* Change me back NOW, damn it!*

Ares took Discord from Jett and placed her in a cage hanging from the

ceiling. "Later. When I feel like it."

*ARES!*

"Oh, shut your trap! Man, all you can do is yammer, yammer, yammer!"

Ares pointed at Discord and zapped her, making it so she could only

squeak. He then looked at Jett, who

was cleaning himself and grinned toothily. "Your brother is here. Why

don't you go out there and say hi?" Ares grinned as he zapped the cat

and then disappeared from the

temple.

*****

"Damn it!" Joxer looked at the vase he had knocked over and groaned.

"So much for trying to be quiet. Ares! Ares! Hey!" Joxer looked around

but saw no one, but something

was making the hairs on his neck stand up and he turned around to see a

panther slowly approaching him. His eyes grew huge and he backed away

as the panther growled and

showed his teeth.

*"Meooowwwww growllll ragrrrr rr..."*

"Nice boy! Easy, boy!" Joxer squeaked, holding his hands up before him.

*"Ragrrrr..."* The panther continued stalking forward, golden eyes

staring up into Joxer's eyes.

Joxer had heard once never take your eyes off an animal that was going

to attack. The panther suddenly leaped forward. Joxer somehow managed

to roll away from the attack.

Ares, invisible to Joxer and the transformed Jett, watched in

amusement. Joxer was so distracted that he never noticed a long stick suddenly

appear where he could reach it. He

saw the stick and managed to reach it just before the panther struck

again. This time, when the panther leapt forward, Joxer somehow managed

to strike him aside.

*"Growlllllrarrr..."* The panther easily landed on his feet and faced

Joxer, growling low in his throat.

Joxer held the stick high over his head. "Back off! I don't want to

hurt you!"

The panther stood his ground and stared up at Joxer calmly, who stared

back. Ares made himself visible to Joxer and clapped. "Bravo, Joxer! I

really didn't believe Xena when she

said you changed," he said sarcastically.

Joxer, with his eyes still on the panther, ground out through clenched

teeth, "I want my brother and I want him now, Ares!"

Ares smiled as he swept his arms toward the panther. "Then take him if

you can. Brotherly love - it's just *so* overrated!" He threw his head

back and laughed as he

disappeared from the temple in a flash of light.

The panther suddenly snarled loudly. "Oh boy!" Joxer whispered.