Part Fifteen:
( Please read warning in part 14)
Ares slapped Strife on the back, almost knocking him over. "Looks like
you'll be with us again pretty soon."
"Yeah, you know it, Unc! This was the easiest thing I've ever done,"
Strife giggled.
"Don't get so cocky. It's not over yet," Ares cautioned.
Strife only smirked. "**I** say it is. What can they do about it?"
Ares said nothing and continued to watch in the mirror.
******
Jett's eyes glittered with malice as he drew the dagger back and aimed
the blade straight at Joxer's heart. In a low, raspy voice, he growled
in Joxer's ear, "Tonight, *dear brother*,
you die."
Joxer somehow managed to grab Jett's wrist before the dagger met its
mark. "What's wrong with you? Jett, snap out of it!" Joxer continued his
struggling with Jett, trying to
keep his brother at bay. Jett said nothing but broke loose and plunged
the dagger down. Joxer rolled away just in time as the dagger
penetrated into what was left of the floor. He
jumped to his feet. "I don't know *who* or *what* you are, but you're
not my brother!" he shouted, backing away.
Jett rose to his feet and slowly walked towards him, his eyes
emotionless. "Don't you see? You **have** to die, Bro. You're the black sheep of
the family. You're a disgrace as a
warrior and you must be purified!" Jett then charged him with his
dagger held up in the air, ready to strike.
Joxer was ready for him as he remembered a move Xena taught him. He
moved to the side and whirled himself, sending his foot right into Jett's
gut. Jett clutched his stomach
and fell to his knees. He growled as he slowly got up, "Bro, you'll pay
for that!"
Joxer shook his head. "I know who and what you are now. You're not
real! You're my worst fear. I won't let you beat me. I won't! The real Jett
would never hurt me." He closed
his eyes and began chanting, "You're not real. You're not real. You're
not real. You're not real!"
"Die, Joxer, die!" Jett ran towards him, the dagger swinging up in a
high arc then swiftly plunging down.
"YOU'RE NOT REALLLLLL!!!!!!" Joxer screamed just as Jett plunged the
dagger right into his heart. Suddenly, everything went black. Joxer
slowly opened his eyes to the
sound of crying and screaming in the distance. He blinked for a minute,
trying to figure out what happened. Then he remembered Jett and the
dagger.
Joxer looked down at himself but saw no blood. *How come I'm not dead?*
he thought at first, his mind whirling with questions - then he
realized something. It had all been an
illusion - something Strife had fabricated. Joxer shook his head,
closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. Strife had figured out what
each brother was really afraid of
about each other and was using it to his advantage.
Joxer heard the screaming continue after he re-opened his eyes and
realized that it was Jace. Jace kept screaming his name over and over and
sobbed loudly. Joxer could tell by
the sound of his screams that Jace was in a dark, small space. He
slowly rose to his feet and ran towards the sound of his brother's voice.
*********
"You better stop him. I think that Joxer's caught on to what's
happening," Ares gazed over in Strife's direction with a raised eyebrow.
Strife almost fell over from his laughter. "Oh Unc, there's no way!
Hello! We're talking about *Joxer, the Mighty Dork* here! So he just got
lucky. Big whoop!"
"Strife, don't underestimate Joxer. It could be costly," Ares said with
a warning note in his voice.
Strife blinked and snorted with laughter. "*Joxer?* Unc, you've got to
be kidding! Just sit back and enjoy the show."
"I'm not stupid, Strife. I was wrong about you. I'm out of here," Ares
sneered, snapping his fingers and disappearing in a flash of blue-white
light.
Strife only grinned. "Spoilsport." He then leaned back against his
throne to see what would happen next.
******
Joxer stopped in his tracks, his jaw opening in shock. He saw himself
standing next to a narrow opening and heard himself talking to Jace. "I
don't like to punish you, Jace. But if
I don't, you will never learn. "
Jace was now crying uncontrollably. "Please, Joxer! Let me out. I'll be
good! I promise!" he begged, his voice breaking.
"Joxer's" eyes rolled upward and "he" thought for a moment, stroking
"his" chin. "I don't know, Jace. It seems to me that maybe an hour isn't
enough. Maybe you will know your
place if you stay here all day and night."
"No, Joxer! Please! I can't breathe in here!" Jace's voice was growing
hoarse from all his shouting and crying.
"Joxer" laughed and the sound chilled the real Joxer to the bone. "You
should have thought about that before you became a sinner. Now Jace,
tell me who you are," "he" said
in a low, menacing voice.
"I'mmm J...J...aa...cc...eee son o...ff... Ju..dd... and... and
Jez...da," Jace whimpered.
*"Louder."*
"Joxer, please! Oh Gods, **please** let me out!"
"Joxer" laughed again. "Nope. Nuh uh. No sale here. You obviously
haven't learned your lesson." With those words, "he" placed the stone back
in front of the entrance. Jace
screamed and pounded at the stone, begging to be let out.
Joxer had seen enough and he stormed forward. "LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE,
YOU NIGHTMARE FROM TARTARUS!" he yelled.
The evil Joxer turned around. "How did *you* escape?" he sneered.
"That's none of your damn business! But you're going down!"
***
Strife watched what was happening in the mirror with amusement. Joxer
didn't quite have it yet and he knew it. He screamed with laughter as
Joxer tried his best to get rid of the
evil Joxer. "You're not real!"
The evil Joxer yawned, bored. "I'm as real as you are."
Joxer looked bewildered. He knew that the evil Joxer wasn't real, so
why didn't he disappear? The evil Joxer laughed. "I'm more powerful than
Jett, idiot! You might have
defeated him, but you won't defeat me!" he gloated.
Joxer stared long and hard at the evil Joxer. "You're right," he said
finally. "There's no way **I** can beat you. You're not my worst
nightmare. But Jace can."
Joxer threw a punch at the evil Joxer and knocked him on the ground
then yelled as loud as he could as he jumped on top of the evil version of
himself. "Jace, *listen* to me! This
isn't real! Get your mind off it and it will go away!" He yelled as the
evil Joxer twisted underneath him and they both struggled on the
ground, each trying to gain the upper
hand.
*"How? Joxer, I'm scared!"* came the muffled, terrified reply.
The evil Joxer grabbed Joxer by the throat, eyes glittering in delight
as he began choking him. "Jace, SING!" Joxer managed to gasp as he
tried to pull the other Joxer's hands
away from his throat.
Jace started to hum, desperately trying to get his fear under control.
He hated dark, small places - even as a child, he was terrified of
them. He started out weakly, but soon he was
singing loud and clear. Joxer, who was beginning to black out, suddenly
didn't feel the hands of the evil Joxer around his neck. He breathed
loudly in relief. When he opened his
eyes and sat up, rubbing at his throat, he saw that Jace was sitting on
the ruined floor still singing as tears rolled down his cheeks. Joxer
crawled over to him and wrapped his arms
around Jace in a fierce embrace. "It's okay, Jace. It's okay. That
thing is gone," he said in a soothing voice.
Jace looked up at Joxer. "Are you real?" he asked.
Joxer wiped away Jace's tears and smiled his goofy grin. "I'm real,
Jace. I'm real."
Jace held Joxer closer. "I was so scared, Joxer. Thank you for helping
me."
Joxer nodded and slowly stood up, helping Jace to his feet. "We've got
to find Jett. Do you know what his worst nightmare is?"
Jace shook his head and sniffed one last time.
"Okay. Come on. We better go find him then," Joxer said. Suddenly it
became dark again. Panicking, Jace screamed at first but managed to calm
himself down. It was light
soon enough and when their eyes readjusted to the light they saw Jett
trying his best to keep "Jace" at bay.
"Stay away from me, you moron!" Jett yelled.
Jace looked at Joxer, his jaw dropping open in shock at the image of
himself trying to kiss his brother. "*That's* his worst nightmare? That
I'd come on to him? Please! That's
*gross*! Like I'd actually *do* something like that..."
"Jace, not now! We've got to help him."
"Well, at least it's not scary."
Joxer turned around and gazed at Jace seriously. "It is to Jett. Look
at him! He's downright terrified of the idea that you'd do something
like that to him!"
Jace rolled his eyes as he watched the evil "Jace" pawing and purring
around Jett. "Please! I don't even do that! That is **so** not me at
all!" Jace strolled over to the evil
"Jace" before Joxer could stop him. "Look, you phony! If you are going
to do me, at least do me right!"
The evil "Jace" turned around and hissed. Jace rolled his eyes and held
up his hands. "First of all, I don't hiss. Hissing is so unbecoming!
What **I** like to do is this!" Jace
walked over and blew in Jett's right ear, making the oldest triplet
shudder. Then, he began to nibble on it delicately. "See?" he mumbled
before starting up again.
*****
Strife started jumping up and down, howling with laughter as he watched
the triplets' images in the mirror. Jett's worst nightmare had actually
come true. Jace *did* want him
after all.
******
Jett's eyes grew huge as Jace moved away from him. Joxer looked on,
horrified. "Now *that's* what I would do," Jace said smugly.
"Thanks," his evil self said with a smirk as he moved in for his
dessert. He placed his arms around Jett. "You are mine now, Jett."
Jett's eyes became darker as he suddenly drove a dagger into "Jace's"
stomach. "Jace" groaned softly, wincing as Jett pulled the dagger out.
"Why? Jett, I loved you."
Jett watched as "Jace" vanished. "Because you're not real," he
breathed. Jett looked down at his hands as the dagger also vanished. He then
gazed at his brothers. "Thanks for
telling me what to do, Jace."
"Don't thank me. Joxer knew what to do."
"Well, then I thank you both. Come on, we've got a God to take care
of."
Joxer looked at Jett. "Jett, how did you make that dagger appear?"
"When Jace whispered in my ear that it was only my worst nightmare, I
remembered what I would do to Jace if he ever pulled such a thing."
Jace swallowed. "Don't worry. You're not my type."
Jett slapped Jace on the back. Then he reached out and grabbed Jace's
hand then Joxer's. The Trio closed their eyes and concentrated. A bright
light surrounded them and they
found themselves back at Strife's ruined throne room. The ghostly God
of Mischief was no longer jumping around and hooting. Instead, he was
frightened. "Unc, I need you!
HEY! I could use some help here!" he screeched into the air.
Ares appeared, calmly eating an apple. "I thought you had it under
control."
"They're smarter than I gave them credit for."
"Oh. Really? Gee, now didn't someone try to tell you just that? Let me
see..." Ares tapped a finger against his chin. "Oh yeah! It was ME!
Strife, you're on your own. Have
fun!" he disappeared in a flash of lightning, his laughter echoing off
the stones.
"Unc! No! Come back!" Strife looked at the brothers, holding his hands
up in surrender. "Come on! This was all in fun, you know. Just for
laughs. Hee hee? Ha ha?" he said with
a weak smile.
The brothers drew together in a circle and placed their hands over each
other's, closing their eyes. Jett spoke in a strained voice as the
three concentrated. "Then, why don't you
laugh all the way back to Tartarus?" A blue light streamed from their
entwined hands. Strife screeched as he was caught in the light and
vanished, his body dissolving. The Trio
opened their eyes and fell to the floor, exhausted.
*****
Strife opened his eyes and howled when he saw he was in a dark cave.
"NO, NO, NO!" He beat his fists against the stone wall in frustration.
"Glad to see you back, Strife. Inventory's way behind," a voice broke
in. "Damn wars in Phillipi have set things back at least three months."
Strife turned around to see Hades standing before him with a huge
scroll in his hands. The God of the Underworld gave him the scroll with a
huge grin. Strife looked down and
screeched when he opened it up and saw the writing at the top of the
parchment. "No! Not the Elysian Fields again! I hate it there! It's so...
*happy* and filled with goodness
and light!" he whimpered.
"I just send you where I need you," Hades answered in a mild tone.
"Now, off you go!" With those words, Hades touched Strife's shoulder and he
disappeared in a bright yellow
light before he could say another word. "Well, that should keep him out
of my hair for a while..."
*****
Joxer groaned softly, rubbing his head. "Are you two all right?"
Jett nodded slowly as his eyes refocused. "Yes." Jace mumbled in
agreement.
*"Papa! Papa! Are you all right?"*
Joxer smiled when he heard Adora's anxious voice in his mind. *"I'm
fine, Dorie. We're all fine. Please bring us home."*
Jett placed his hand on Joxer's shoulder. "Tell her to send Jace and me
back where we were."
Joxer nodded in agreement and "said," *"Dorie send Jett and Jace back
first, then me."*
Adora looked at Eve and Cyrene. "Papa wants me to send Uncle Jett and
Uncle Jace back first. What should I do?"
"Do what your father told you, Adora," replied Cyrene.
Adora nodded and concentrated on sending her uncles back. Joxer watched
them disappear, hoping they would be okay.
****
Jett stared at the four gray walls then quickly breathed a sigh of
relief when he saw that he was back in his prison clothing instead of
Strife's questionable taste in attire. He
blinked as the door to the solitary confinement cell opened. "Come on,
you. We got the one who caused the riot for the escape."
Jett stood up and mumbled, "I told you I didn't do it."
****
"Jace! Jace! Are you ready yet? Come on, we're on next!"
Jace jumped up and threw open his door, almost leaping into Pierre's
arms. "Hey! What's this all about? Not that I mind," Pierre said as he
kissed Jace.
"Oh nothing! I'm just so glad to see you!" Jace replied as he returned
the kiss.
*****
Joxer looked around, waiting for Adora to get him when Ares suddenly
appeared. Before Joxer could say anything, Ares held up a finger and
began to speak. "You know, Strife
might've failed getting out of Tartarus and getting his Godly powers
and life back, but he did find out something. You three morons must be
together in order for your powers to
work. But, I can remedy that situation." Ares started to wave his hand.
Joxer stared at him calmly. "Come on, then. I'm not afraid of you."
Ares raised his hand, getting ready to throw a fireball.
"Come on. What are you waiting for?" Joxer asked.
Ares lowered his hand and sneered, "I don't have time to waste with
you!"
Joxer watched as Ares vanished. Joxer shook his head, breathing a
silent sigh of relief. He thought to himself, *Sometimes, bluffing DOES
work.* There was a sudden flash of
light and when Joxer's eyes readjusted, he saw that he was back in
Cyrene's tavern.
Adora and Eve ran over to him, throwing their arms around his waist to
give him a hug. "Hey, hey! I'm glad to see you too!" he said with a
laugh as he returned the embrace.
"Oh Papa, I'm so glad that you're here!"
"Me too, Dorie. Now let's go to Xena and Gabrielle. They may need our
help." Joxer reached out for Eve's hand and smiled at Cyrene. "Thanks
for watching the girls."
Cyrene grabbed Joxer's arm. "Joxer, what are you doing?"
"Going to Xena and Gabrielle."
"Oh no you're not! You've had enough adventures for today. You'll stay
right here until they get back. Now march right in there and take a
bath, young man!"
"But they might need me!"
"I said *march*!"
Joxer looked at Adora and Eve. Both the girls were giggling. "You heard
her, Papa."
"Yeah, Uncle Joxer. March," Eve chimed in.
"Okay! Okay! I know when I'm beaten!" Joxer laughed as he marched into
the back room where the bathtub was, singing his theme song. Cyrene,
Adora, and Eve laughed as they
watched him leave.
*******
( Please read warning in part 14)
Ares slapped Strife on the back, almost knocking him over. "Looks like
you'll be with us again pretty soon."
"Yeah, you know it, Unc! This was the easiest thing I've ever done,"
Strife giggled.
"Don't get so cocky. It's not over yet," Ares cautioned.
Strife only smirked. "**I** say it is. What can they do about it?"
Ares said nothing and continued to watch in the mirror.
******
Jett's eyes glittered with malice as he drew the dagger back and aimed
the blade straight at Joxer's heart. In a low, raspy voice, he growled
in Joxer's ear, "Tonight, *dear brother*,
you die."
Joxer somehow managed to grab Jett's wrist before the dagger met its
mark. "What's wrong with you? Jett, snap out of it!" Joxer continued his
struggling with Jett, trying to
keep his brother at bay. Jett said nothing but broke loose and plunged
the dagger down. Joxer rolled away just in time as the dagger
penetrated into what was left of the floor. He
jumped to his feet. "I don't know *who* or *what* you are, but you're
not my brother!" he shouted, backing away.
Jett rose to his feet and slowly walked towards him, his eyes
emotionless. "Don't you see? You **have** to die, Bro. You're the black sheep of
the family. You're a disgrace as a
warrior and you must be purified!" Jett then charged him with his
dagger held up in the air, ready to strike.
Joxer was ready for him as he remembered a move Xena taught him. He
moved to the side and whirled himself, sending his foot right into Jett's
gut. Jett clutched his stomach
and fell to his knees. He growled as he slowly got up, "Bro, you'll pay
for that!"
Joxer shook his head. "I know who and what you are now. You're not
real! You're my worst fear. I won't let you beat me. I won't! The real Jett
would never hurt me." He closed
his eyes and began chanting, "You're not real. You're not real. You're
not real. You're not real!"
"Die, Joxer, die!" Jett ran towards him, the dagger swinging up in a
high arc then swiftly plunging down.
"YOU'RE NOT REALLLLLL!!!!!!" Joxer screamed just as Jett plunged the
dagger right into his heart. Suddenly, everything went black. Joxer
slowly opened his eyes to the
sound of crying and screaming in the distance. He blinked for a minute,
trying to figure out what happened. Then he remembered Jett and the
dagger.
Joxer looked down at himself but saw no blood. *How come I'm not dead?*
he thought at first, his mind whirling with questions - then he
realized something. It had all been an
illusion - something Strife had fabricated. Joxer shook his head,
closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. Strife had figured out what
each brother was really afraid of
about each other and was using it to his advantage.
Joxer heard the screaming continue after he re-opened his eyes and
realized that it was Jace. Jace kept screaming his name over and over and
sobbed loudly. Joxer could tell by
the sound of his screams that Jace was in a dark, small space. He
slowly rose to his feet and ran towards the sound of his brother's voice.
*********
"You better stop him. I think that Joxer's caught on to what's
happening," Ares gazed over in Strife's direction with a raised eyebrow.
Strife almost fell over from his laughter. "Oh Unc, there's no way!
Hello! We're talking about *Joxer, the Mighty Dork* here! So he just got
lucky. Big whoop!"
"Strife, don't underestimate Joxer. It could be costly," Ares said with
a warning note in his voice.
Strife blinked and snorted with laughter. "*Joxer?* Unc, you've got to
be kidding! Just sit back and enjoy the show."
"I'm not stupid, Strife. I was wrong about you. I'm out of here," Ares
sneered, snapping his fingers and disappearing in a flash of blue-white
light.
Strife only grinned. "Spoilsport." He then leaned back against his
throne to see what would happen next.
******
Joxer stopped in his tracks, his jaw opening in shock. He saw himself
standing next to a narrow opening and heard himself talking to Jace. "I
don't like to punish you, Jace. But if
I don't, you will never learn. "
Jace was now crying uncontrollably. "Please, Joxer! Let me out. I'll be
good! I promise!" he begged, his voice breaking.
"Joxer's" eyes rolled upward and "he" thought for a moment, stroking
"his" chin. "I don't know, Jace. It seems to me that maybe an hour isn't
enough. Maybe you will know your
place if you stay here all day and night."
"No, Joxer! Please! I can't breathe in here!" Jace's voice was growing
hoarse from all his shouting and crying.
"Joxer" laughed and the sound chilled the real Joxer to the bone. "You
should have thought about that before you became a sinner. Now Jace,
tell me who you are," "he" said
in a low, menacing voice.
"I'mmm J...J...aa...cc...eee son o...ff... Ju..dd... and... and
Jez...da," Jace whimpered.
*"Louder."*
"Joxer, please! Oh Gods, **please** let me out!"
"Joxer" laughed again. "Nope. Nuh uh. No sale here. You obviously
haven't learned your lesson." With those words, "he" placed the stone back
in front of the entrance. Jace
screamed and pounded at the stone, begging to be let out.
Joxer had seen enough and he stormed forward. "LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE,
YOU NIGHTMARE FROM TARTARUS!" he yelled.
The evil Joxer turned around. "How did *you* escape?" he sneered.
"That's none of your damn business! But you're going down!"
***
Strife watched what was happening in the mirror with amusement. Joxer
didn't quite have it yet and he knew it. He screamed with laughter as
Joxer tried his best to get rid of the
evil Joxer. "You're not real!"
The evil Joxer yawned, bored. "I'm as real as you are."
Joxer looked bewildered. He knew that the evil Joxer wasn't real, so
why didn't he disappear? The evil Joxer laughed. "I'm more powerful than
Jett, idiot! You might have
defeated him, but you won't defeat me!" he gloated.
Joxer stared long and hard at the evil Joxer. "You're right," he said
finally. "There's no way **I** can beat you. You're not my worst
nightmare. But Jace can."
Joxer threw a punch at the evil Joxer and knocked him on the ground
then yelled as loud as he could as he jumped on top of the evil version of
himself. "Jace, *listen* to me! This
isn't real! Get your mind off it and it will go away!" He yelled as the
evil Joxer twisted underneath him and they both struggled on the
ground, each trying to gain the upper
hand.
*"How? Joxer, I'm scared!"* came the muffled, terrified reply.
The evil Joxer grabbed Joxer by the throat, eyes glittering in delight
as he began choking him. "Jace, SING!" Joxer managed to gasp as he
tried to pull the other Joxer's hands
away from his throat.
Jace started to hum, desperately trying to get his fear under control.
He hated dark, small places - even as a child, he was terrified of
them. He started out weakly, but soon he was
singing loud and clear. Joxer, who was beginning to black out, suddenly
didn't feel the hands of the evil Joxer around his neck. He breathed
loudly in relief. When he opened his
eyes and sat up, rubbing at his throat, he saw that Jace was sitting on
the ruined floor still singing as tears rolled down his cheeks. Joxer
crawled over to him and wrapped his arms
around Jace in a fierce embrace. "It's okay, Jace. It's okay. That
thing is gone," he said in a soothing voice.
Jace looked up at Joxer. "Are you real?" he asked.
Joxer wiped away Jace's tears and smiled his goofy grin. "I'm real,
Jace. I'm real."
Jace held Joxer closer. "I was so scared, Joxer. Thank you for helping
me."
Joxer nodded and slowly stood up, helping Jace to his feet. "We've got
to find Jett. Do you know what his worst nightmare is?"
Jace shook his head and sniffed one last time.
"Okay. Come on. We better go find him then," Joxer said. Suddenly it
became dark again. Panicking, Jace screamed at first but managed to calm
himself down. It was light
soon enough and when their eyes readjusted to the light they saw Jett
trying his best to keep "Jace" at bay.
"Stay away from me, you moron!" Jett yelled.
Jace looked at Joxer, his jaw dropping open in shock at the image of
himself trying to kiss his brother. "*That's* his worst nightmare? That
I'd come on to him? Please! That's
*gross*! Like I'd actually *do* something like that..."
"Jace, not now! We've got to help him."
"Well, at least it's not scary."
Joxer turned around and gazed at Jace seriously. "It is to Jett. Look
at him! He's downright terrified of the idea that you'd do something
like that to him!"
Jace rolled his eyes as he watched the evil "Jace" pawing and purring
around Jett. "Please! I don't even do that! That is **so** not me at
all!" Jace strolled over to the evil
"Jace" before Joxer could stop him. "Look, you phony! If you are going
to do me, at least do me right!"
The evil "Jace" turned around and hissed. Jace rolled his eyes and held
up his hands. "First of all, I don't hiss. Hissing is so unbecoming!
What **I** like to do is this!" Jace
walked over and blew in Jett's right ear, making the oldest triplet
shudder. Then, he began to nibble on it delicately. "See?" he mumbled
before starting up again.
*****
Strife started jumping up and down, howling with laughter as he watched
the triplets' images in the mirror. Jett's worst nightmare had actually
come true. Jace *did* want him
after all.
******
Jett's eyes grew huge as Jace moved away from him. Joxer looked on,
horrified. "Now *that's* what I would do," Jace said smugly.
"Thanks," his evil self said with a smirk as he moved in for his
dessert. He placed his arms around Jett. "You are mine now, Jett."
Jett's eyes became darker as he suddenly drove a dagger into "Jace's"
stomach. "Jace" groaned softly, wincing as Jett pulled the dagger out.
"Why? Jett, I loved you."
Jett watched as "Jace" vanished. "Because you're not real," he
breathed. Jett looked down at his hands as the dagger also vanished. He then
gazed at his brothers. "Thanks for
telling me what to do, Jace."
"Don't thank me. Joxer knew what to do."
"Well, then I thank you both. Come on, we've got a God to take care
of."
Joxer looked at Jett. "Jett, how did you make that dagger appear?"
"When Jace whispered in my ear that it was only my worst nightmare, I
remembered what I would do to Jace if he ever pulled such a thing."
Jace swallowed. "Don't worry. You're not my type."
Jett slapped Jace on the back. Then he reached out and grabbed Jace's
hand then Joxer's. The Trio closed their eyes and concentrated. A bright
light surrounded them and they
found themselves back at Strife's ruined throne room. The ghostly God
of Mischief was no longer jumping around and hooting. Instead, he was
frightened. "Unc, I need you!
HEY! I could use some help here!" he screeched into the air.
Ares appeared, calmly eating an apple. "I thought you had it under
control."
"They're smarter than I gave them credit for."
"Oh. Really? Gee, now didn't someone try to tell you just that? Let me
see..." Ares tapped a finger against his chin. "Oh yeah! It was ME!
Strife, you're on your own. Have
fun!" he disappeared in a flash of lightning, his laughter echoing off
the stones.
"Unc! No! Come back!" Strife looked at the brothers, holding his hands
up in surrender. "Come on! This was all in fun, you know. Just for
laughs. Hee hee? Ha ha?" he said with
a weak smile.
The brothers drew together in a circle and placed their hands over each
other's, closing their eyes. Jett spoke in a strained voice as the
three concentrated. "Then, why don't you
laugh all the way back to Tartarus?" A blue light streamed from their
entwined hands. Strife screeched as he was caught in the light and
vanished, his body dissolving. The Trio
opened their eyes and fell to the floor, exhausted.
*****
Strife opened his eyes and howled when he saw he was in a dark cave.
"NO, NO, NO!" He beat his fists against the stone wall in frustration.
"Glad to see you back, Strife. Inventory's way behind," a voice broke
in. "Damn wars in Phillipi have set things back at least three months."
Strife turned around to see Hades standing before him with a huge
scroll in his hands. The God of the Underworld gave him the scroll with a
huge grin. Strife looked down and
screeched when he opened it up and saw the writing at the top of the
parchment. "No! Not the Elysian Fields again! I hate it there! It's so...
*happy* and filled with goodness
and light!" he whimpered.
"I just send you where I need you," Hades answered in a mild tone.
"Now, off you go!" With those words, Hades touched Strife's shoulder and he
disappeared in a bright yellow
light before he could say another word. "Well, that should keep him out
of my hair for a while..."
*****
Joxer groaned softly, rubbing his head. "Are you two all right?"
Jett nodded slowly as his eyes refocused. "Yes." Jace mumbled in
agreement.
*"Papa! Papa! Are you all right?"*
Joxer smiled when he heard Adora's anxious voice in his mind. *"I'm
fine, Dorie. We're all fine. Please bring us home."*
Jett placed his hand on Joxer's shoulder. "Tell her to send Jace and me
back where we were."
Joxer nodded in agreement and "said," *"Dorie send Jett and Jace back
first, then me."*
Adora looked at Eve and Cyrene. "Papa wants me to send Uncle Jett and
Uncle Jace back first. What should I do?"
"Do what your father told you, Adora," replied Cyrene.
Adora nodded and concentrated on sending her uncles back. Joxer watched
them disappear, hoping they would be okay.
****
Jett stared at the four gray walls then quickly breathed a sigh of
relief when he saw that he was back in his prison clothing instead of
Strife's questionable taste in attire. He
blinked as the door to the solitary confinement cell opened. "Come on,
you. We got the one who caused the riot for the escape."
Jett stood up and mumbled, "I told you I didn't do it."
****
"Jace! Jace! Are you ready yet? Come on, we're on next!"
Jace jumped up and threw open his door, almost leaping into Pierre's
arms. "Hey! What's this all about? Not that I mind," Pierre said as he
kissed Jace.
"Oh nothing! I'm just so glad to see you!" Jace replied as he returned
the kiss.
*****
Joxer looked around, waiting for Adora to get him when Ares suddenly
appeared. Before Joxer could say anything, Ares held up a finger and
began to speak. "You know, Strife
might've failed getting out of Tartarus and getting his Godly powers
and life back, but he did find out something. You three morons must be
together in order for your powers to
work. But, I can remedy that situation." Ares started to wave his hand.
Joxer stared at him calmly. "Come on, then. I'm not afraid of you."
Ares raised his hand, getting ready to throw a fireball.
"Come on. What are you waiting for?" Joxer asked.
Ares lowered his hand and sneered, "I don't have time to waste with
you!"
Joxer watched as Ares vanished. Joxer shook his head, breathing a
silent sigh of relief. He thought to himself, *Sometimes, bluffing DOES
work.* There was a sudden flash of
light and when Joxer's eyes readjusted, he saw that he was back in
Cyrene's tavern.
Adora and Eve ran over to him, throwing their arms around his waist to
give him a hug. "Hey, hey! I'm glad to see you too!" he said with a
laugh as he returned the embrace.
"Oh Papa, I'm so glad that you're here!"
"Me too, Dorie. Now let's go to Xena and Gabrielle. They may need our
help." Joxer reached out for Eve's hand and smiled at Cyrene. "Thanks
for watching the girls."
Cyrene grabbed Joxer's arm. "Joxer, what are you doing?"
"Going to Xena and Gabrielle."
"Oh no you're not! You've had enough adventures for today. You'll stay
right here until they get back. Now march right in there and take a
bath, young man!"
"But they might need me!"
"I said *march*!"
Joxer looked at Adora and Eve. Both the girls were giggling. "You heard
her, Papa."
"Yeah, Uncle Joxer. March," Eve chimed in.
"Okay! Okay! I know when I'm beaten!" Joxer laughed as he marched into
the back room where the bathtub was, singing his theme song. Cyrene,
Adora, and Eve laughed as they
watched him leave.
*******