() Part 3: World Turned Upside-Down ()

"This looks like a nice place. Maybe we should stop here?" Joxer's words are hopeful but strong, proving that something is still off seeming about him recently.

Not even sparing him a glance, still nervous about what she may or may have not hallucinated; Xena speaks up, "No." She obviously sees no room for debate and doesn't bother to elaborate on her reasons.

Hercules and Gabrielle spare sidelong glances, which don't go unnoticed by Joxer, as they try to figure out what is wrong with Xena. They have both seen the Warrior Princess determined before, but neither has seen her so blindly absorbed in a single goal. Through all these suspicious glances, it is Gabrielle who speaks up first, her voice falsely tired and happy at the same time. "We've been traveling all day, Xena, and it's getting close to nightfall. Who knows how far it is to the next town. We should stop here."

At this, Xena takes a long time to reply. She has already made her feelings clear and still doesn't see a need to elaborate. After enough deliberation, however, she notes that at least some amount of explanation is warranted. "Every town we stop in slows us down," there, she is proud of herself for her restraint and calm tones.

Last but far from least, Hercules speaks up. He is not sure what value his opinion will be assigned to, but the last time he checked him and Xena were on decent terms. Besides, they are unlikely to figure out what is wrong with Xena while traveling, as she is known for her stoic silences while atop Argo. "We'll have to stop soon enough anyway, and if we leave at dawn, we won't lose any time. Let's stop."

Opening her mouth to protest, Xena seems to think better of it. True, she doesn't want to be in a confined area with such a strange-acting Joxer, and she could do without Gabrielle's questions and accusations, but her friends are tired and so is Xena. Besides, she still mostly trusts Hercules and knows that he wouldn't be suggesting this for selfish reasons. A weary sigh, "Fine."

Having watched all this interaction closely, Joxer finally deigns to speak up again. "If you want, I could take the money and go bargain us some rooms while you all check out the town." He suggests it innocently enough, sounding more and more like the same old Joxer he's always been.

Yet, his friendly suggestion is met by three disbelieving and skeptical stares. It is Hercules who finally withdraws his own money pouch and starts to break away from the group, sparing a friendly pat to Joxer's back. "Not to worry, Joxer, I'll handle the accommodations. You stay here with the girls."

Gabrielle nods vigorously and Hercules starts to walk towards the nearest inn. It is decided and there is no more room for discussion. A pained look crosses Joxer's face for a moment which neither Gabrielle or Xena catch, before his goofy mask is back on. Xena, however, can't help but feel both burning stares at her back, and wonders if maybe she should have sent Joxer or Gabrielle off instead of Hercules.

However, Hercules is already well on his way towards the inn, and disappears through the door and out of the other three's sight. Immediately, he sets his eyes towards the main counter, hoping that the innkeeper is there and has some rooms available. Instead of finding a stuffy older man there is a young brunette woman standing behind the counter. She spots Hercules and turns, her smile large and beautiful, "Hey there, big fella, what can I get you?"

All calculations about how many rooms he should get are immediately decided for the demigod, who always has been a sucker for big doe eyes and pouty lips. "I was hoping to rent some rooms for my friends and myself. Four actually, since there's four of us," no expense to be spared, and he hopes this is going to leave him some money left over.

The young woman smiles widely again, turning to retrieve four heavy keys before turning back to Hercules. "You're in luck that it's me here and not my father. I can give you a bit of a discount on all that. Forty dinars sound about right? You and your friends got names, handsome, so I can mark down your rooms?"

It is a steal because she is flirting with him, most likely because she recognizes him from something. Hercules understands this. It doesn't mean he isn't going to take the offered rooms, or if possible, her offered company. There have to be some perks to traveling so much, or he wouldn't go for it. "I'm Hercules, and my friends are: Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer."

As soon as Hercules has fished out the money and placed it on the counter, the woman scoops it up, tucks it away, hands him his keys, and pushes out from behind the counter to come stand next to him. "Some company we're having then! Tell you what, I'm Deanna, and if you want any help finding anything around town, you just come and let me know."

A quick flash of suspicion mixed in with large amounts of amusement at this forward and beautiful girl. Hercules teasingly asks, "What will I owe you for this help?"

Deanna purses her lips in pretend thought, before her large eyes focus solely on Hercules and she states her terms. "Maybe some stories of a hero, I'm sure you have lots to tell me."

At this Hercules hedges slightly, first off because he doesn't like telling of his own grand adventures, and second because he is far from a grand bard, and he knows it well enough. Still, it isn't all that bad of terms. "I'm not really a bard…"

"No," Deanna counters, "you're the hero. That's why I want to hear the stories from you."

Hercules casts a quick glance at all the doors leading off to rooms, looks down for a second, then looks back at Deanna and gives her a slight grin. "Well, you could help me find my room…"

When Hercules awakes the next morning, it is to the feel of a woman's warm and bare body pressed up against his own naked skin, brunette hair splayed out over his chest. With pleasant memories still filling his head of the previous night with Deanna, Hercules has no trouble imagining why it is so hard to be awake this morning.

He shifts slightly so as to stretch, and Deanna's eyelids flutter open. Hercules smiles down at her, stifling a giant yawn, "Hey there…"

Rolling her body against his in a cattish stretch, Deanna grins back up at the large demigod, lifting her head off of his chest and shaking her long hair behind her shoulders. She looks tousled but happy. "Hey yourself," she pauses and makes a big show of looking around before snuggling back down into his arms, "it morning already?"

But, never one to shirk his responsibilities, Hercules has already remembered his friends and how irritated Xena will be if he doesn't hurry. "Sadly," he frowns, gently shifting Deanna off of his arm. "I have to go."

And, this is always the hardest part for Hercules - the never-ending goodbyes. But a hero's job is never done, and he has long since become used to the feeling of loss upon leaving such a wonderful young woman behind. However, Deanna is looking up at him curiously, "Your friends are waiting? Still chasing down that stone you told me about?"

Hercules is not sure how much he told Deanna about the Anbreasia Stone, or how strangely it has been making his friends act. No matter, "Yeah. If I don't hurry, Xena'll have my head." It's only half a joke at this point - Xena's reactions are up in the air anymore.

But wide brown eyes are staring at him excitedly, "Bring me along."

Startled, Hercules is already starting to decline. Having had more than enough female admirers wanting to follow him on some supposedly grand adventure. And getting killed, or injured, in the process. "I don't think so. It's not safe, Deanna, and you have your father's inn to worry about."

But the look he receives is determined, one finger poking him sharply in the side. "With you, Xena and Gabrielle around, how could I not be safe? My dad can deal with his own inn for a while anyway." She sees him wavering and goes in for the kill, "Besides, it's not like you're off hunting monsters. Just one little old stone. And from how worked up your friends sound, you could use a distraction."

She's already up, gathering her own clothing and muttering about what to bring with her. Hercules is dumbfounded, but he cannot think of a kind way to let the girl down. Besides, he would enjoy her extended company. "I better tell Xena that we're almost ready."

Large shoulders shrugging, Hercules finishes dressing and exits the room, already unsure if this is a good idea. Iolaus would have known how to handle the girl, but Iolaus is dead and Hercules is tired of being the bad guy. He just hopes it will work out as easily as Deanna makes it sound.

"Still stuck in this dingy little inn, I see." Ares appears with a bored expression on his face and a distasteful glance around the room. "Well, at least you escaped the blonde again."

Sitting on her bed, packed and ready to go, Xena glares but otherwise ignores the god in front of her. "We were supposed to leave at dawn."

It is past dawn, and obviously her friends are not planning on arriving any time soon. Ares shrugs, "You could always leave without them."

But Xena shakes her head firmly. Her friends may be slowing her down at the moment, but she'd rather have more people looking for her stone than less. More efficient in the long run.

When no reply is forthcoming, the God of War crosses the room, sitting on the bed next to Xena, "Or maybe you need a distraction."

"What did you have in mind?" Xena glances toward Ares, her look softening slightly. She's going crazy thinking about her stone, about it not being with her right now, and she's more than anxious for a distraction.

Still, the kiss that captures her lips is quite surprising. She gives in too easily, kissing him back with a ferocity that lingers from her warlord days. It is Ares who pulls back first, looking at her intently.

Startled that Ares would be the one to break a kiss, Xena questions, "What?"

"I think I was expecting to be slapped," Ares shrugs, unsure what to do with this version of Xena, who seems more familiar to his older memories than his new ones.

Trying to calm herself, realizing already that doing anything with Ares beyond trading insults could come back to haunt her, Xena turns away, "Well, you weren't."

And, if Xena wants to be distracted, Ares will do his best. Reaching towards her to pull her into his arms, Ares brushes his lips against her ear, "Not here…"

It is a low, husky whisper. When Xena turns her head to his, she accepts his kiss with only slight guilt. Ares knows that she can and will stop him if she really wants to, so he takes the initiative. Not willing to pass up on a suddenly so sympathetic Xena.

There are no knocks on the door to interrupt them, no confused Gabrielle stumbling in. And it wouldn't matter anyway, for, soon after Xena finds her back pressed against the harsh fabric of the bed, the room fades out of focus. When the world rights itself slightly, the sheets pressed against her back are silky and the inn far away.

Gabrielle was, in fact, storming another room. Suspiciously near, but decidedly not Xena's. During the night, during all the confusion of Xena's strange antics and Joxer's suddenly less goofy self, she has come to an important realization. She knocks.

A muffled voice from inside calls, "Who is it?" suspicious and awake and nothing like she'd expect.

"Joxer, it's Gabrielle." The bard stands in front of the door, impatient, "Open up," waiting to confess her new and dearest secret.

After a moment the door swings open. Instead of Joxer's adoring gaze, which Gabrielle has long since become accustomed to, Joxer has already turned away, going back to his hasty packing. "What is it, Gabrielle?"

Closing the door behind her, Gabrielle comes further in the room, examining a few of Joxer's unpacked possessions before he snatches them away, and noting that he has finally given up his ridiculous armor. She falters, intrigued. "Get tired of clanking around?"

Not in the mood for questions from one who will so obviously tell him nothing, Joxer shrugs. "Time for a change." It is time for lots of changes for Joxer, but then, Gabrielle has never paid him enough attention to notice.

And now she's getting irritated. Here she is, ready to confess her undying love, and Joxer has barely glanced at her. If she's not the center of his world anymore, maybe she isn't as sure of her own feelings. "Joxer, why don't you leave that stuff alone and talk with me."

"Xena's waiting, I'm sure." Joxer escapes her reaching grasp and continues to pack, glancing at the room but not the bard as he does so.

Stomping her foot once to get his attention, Gabrielle glares. Anger is rapidly overwhelming her feelings of love. It was one thing for Xena to stop paying her any attention - another to suffer the same fate in Joxer's eyes. "Damn it, Joxer. I have something important to say."

Joxer does look up, at the blonde bard who is suddenly so interested in him. It is too late, his eyes harden. "Sorry, Gabrielle. I don't have time. Try talking with Hercules about it."

"What's the matter with you?" Gabrielle is stunned at his harsh words, at this more confident and harder version of Joxer.

"What's wrong with me!" Joxer spins around, angry and unwilling to hide his feelings. Always hiding, always good ole' Joxer. "What's wrong with me is you, Gabrielle. Plotting behind my back, plotting against Xena. I don't even know you anymore."

Noting the use of her real name, where normally the goofier version of her friend would attempt a nickname, Gabrielle frowns, coming closer to put her arms on Joxer's. "Joxer, it's not like that. You know how Xena's been acting... We were just," she pauses, trying to think of a legitimate reason, "trying to protect you."

She is pushed off roughly, too roughly, flying back into the nearby wall with a thud. "I don't need your PROTECTION!" His gaze softens slightly as he notes Gabrielle's wide eyes and slumped form.

But the revision to his normal self comes too late. Furious, Gabrielle pushes herself off the wall and storms out. Hurt and flustered, "You're right, we don't know each other anymore."

And she's gone before Joxer can wonder at himself, wonder at her, wonder at who he's becoming.

Storming out to the bar, the first thing Gabrielle does is order a stiff mug of ale. It's hardly the worst thing she could drink but, for her, it's enough. For all the abuse she's given Joxer over the years, he has never laid his hands on her before. And, while it's hardly fair, Gabrielle feels violated at the intrusion.

"Now what's a pretty thing like you looking so upset for?"

Expecting to see one of a thousand typical, scrubby men with no real redeeming qualities, Gabrielle spews out her retort before she can fully process what her eyes are seeing. "I'm upset at being interrupted from my drink by idiots like you."

The man in front of her, certainly not the typical bar clientele, is tall with short blonde hair and simple but well-made clothing. He is unfazed by her harsh rejection. "Ah, but had you not already been looking so perfectly miserable, I would not have come to offer my services in cheering you up."

Gabrielle watches, stunned for the second time in only a few moments, as he pulls out a small lyre from his satchel. She blinks and gestures him to sit down, intrigued by such a handsome musician. "You play the lyre?"

A curt nod is her reply, followed distinctly by, "I'm Jothe. A bit of a wandering musician, you could say."

Letting her first real smile appear, Gabrielle sticks her hand across the table. "I'm Gabrielle. Take it from a bard, you could work on your introduction."

Brilliant grin lighting up Jothe's face, he shrugs, "I've always been better with music than words. Would you like me to play you something? You can tell me about whatever was troubling you so."

Finishing her ale with one final chug and throwing a dinar or two down on the table, Gabrielle stands only a little unsteadily and nods, "Not here. It's too crowded and noisy. Let's go outside, somewhere peaceful."

It is hardly an offer to refuse, and Jothe is not stupid. He takes the lovely little bard by her hand and they wander out of the bar/inn, heading toward some unpopulated part of the town to talk and listen together.

After the morning Gabrielle has had, all the stress with Joxer and Xena, she is more than willing to listen to a little music and pour out her stories to someone who actually cares about her. Even Hercules is too busy bemoaning Iolaus to be good company.

Angrily brushing out her hair, Xena catches the sun - raised well into the sky - and laments her earlier decisions. Certainly distracting herself was one thing, but with Ares? Letting him whisk her off somewhere for the early dawn hours may have been enjoyable, but it was not a good idea.

Xena knew this when she said yes, but now that she's been returned to the inn, with plenty of time to think, she's more than angry with herself for ignoring her better judgment. "Damn it, Xena. Pull yourself together. He's just using you."

Which, she reasons, is true. Ares wants the power of the Anbreasia Stone - he always has. Now that she has to find it, he's suddenly taking the opportunity to play nice, to get closer to her. He wants the stone and she doesn't blame him - the gods have many rumors about its powers.

No, she blames herself for succumbing to his soft words and strong arms. It's not like her to lose her head like this. Tossing her brush back into her bag, Xena prepares to exit her room and gather her friends - whether they are ready to leave or not.

And there he is, just when she's trying to forget him. Easily pulling her into his arms. "Xena…"

Pulling away sharply, Xena tries her best to ignore him. "Look, Ares," she sighs and grabs her pack off the bed, "this morning. It was a mistake. I just, don't have time for this right now."

"No," Ares is firm. Taking her pack and setting it back down so that he can force her to look up. "Xena, it wasn't a mistake. This isn't about the Anbreasia Stone. This is about us."

Shaking her head firmly and meeting his gaze, Xena keeps her voice cold. "The time for us has been over for a very long time."

"Damn it," she doesn't believe him and he doesn't know how to convince her. The very thing that makes her doubt him is the same thing that brought her to his arms. He does the only thing he can; he kisses her again, hoping that their bodies will convey what words never could.

They never were good at anything spoken but insults.

The door shuts with a bang, and the two part, startled, to see Hercules. The demigod grimaces slightly. "I wanted to let you know, Xena, that Joxer, Deanna and I are ready." He snorts derisively, "I can see that you're busy, though."

Pushing away from Ares with a remorseful look, Xena sighs, "Wait, Hercules. It's not-"

"You know," Hercules spins around to face her again, but his glare is fixed on his half-brother. "Everyone else has had their doubts, but I really didn't think you'd stoop so low as to let Ares influence you. Gods, Xena, my brother is only out for himself. You should know that as well as I do."

He opens the door and exits through it before he can catch Xena's hurt eyes. But the person who comes storming after him isn't Xena, trying to explain. It's an irate Ares, who has watched another one of Xena's friends bugger up his feeling for her, again. "What do you know about my motives, Hercules? I'm not the one who's been plotting behind Xena's back."

They're in the middle of the tavern when Ares speaks, Hercules turning abruptly to face him. It doesn't matter. Having an audience has never stopped them from duking it out before. "I won't let you influence her for your own personal gain," Hercules is determined, bitter. "I know all about Xena's precious stone and why you'd want it."

Glaring at Hercules, Ares allowed a slight smirk, "You will not get in my way, little brother. You can't stop me from taking what's mine! Stop meddling in matters you don't understand."

"I understand just fine, Ares."

The two siblings stared daggers at each other, fists clenched and ready to break out into blows. From behind Hercules, a voice called out carefully, "Hercules? Gabrielle's not in her room, I was going to go check-" Stopping mid-sentence, Deanna stared at the men in front of her and the gawking crowd.

Hercules glanced at the young woman; reluctant to say anything while Ares was around. When he turned back, however, the God of War had disappeared, less than interested in another of Hercules' lovers.

If Hercules was confused as to why his brother had left without a fight, he let it go. Turning to Deanna determinedly, "We better find her then, before Xena- we better find her."

Gabrielle wandered back to the tavern on her own accord, with her own plans, and with Jothe. The pair of blondes nearly ran into the demigod as he prepared to search Gabrielle out. "Gabrielle?"

Offering Hercules a wide smile, Gabrielle queried back, "Xena ready?"

Unsure about Gabrielle's new friend, who looked vaguely familiar, Hercules could only nod, "She's waiting with Joxer. We were just looking for you."

Glancing between Jothe and Hercules, Gabrielle shrugged. "Hercules, this is Jothe. He's a wandering musician, and he's coming with us."

Her voice is firm, broaching no arguments. Not that Hercules could question her if he wanted to - his own traveling companion is waiting with Joxer and an irritated but somber Xena. "Grab your things. Let's go."

Nodding easily, Gabrielle leads Jothe to her room to pack. They have talked for many hours about their lives, and he has played her beautiful music. After hearing about the stone, about how strangely Gabrielle had found her friends acting, Jothe had come up with a plan. They are going to get the stone first, to keep it somewhere safe. Xena can't be trusted to be levelheaded about it, and the powers it may contain make it a threat, should it be restored to any scheming gods. Like Ares. But, even had Hercules asked, Gabrielle is not planning on sharing this. It's her little secret, replacing that part of her that thought she loved Joxer and erasing that part of her that used to trust Xena.

Suddenly, everything's been changing. A few hours are enough to make up for years.

It is already evening by the time they reach the next town. Due to their late start and the relatively calm terrain they have traveled, Xena has said nothing. But she is angered that it is near dark and they will already have to stop again.

Of course, the Warrior Princess is angry at more than just the time they left. She doesn't like the additions to their little party, doesn't trust these supposed extras that Hercules and Gabrielle have picked up. She still doesn't know what to make of Joxer, who is looking and acting less like himself every day.

Most of all, however, she's angry with herself for letting Ares distract her. For letting Hercules echo her own fears. She hasn't forgotten however, his words. 'The others don't trust me anymore,' Xena sighs. It doesn't matter. Once she has her stone back, she can worry about assuaging their fears. For now, however, it is better for all of them if she's left alone to think. They are still heading east, as Xena is not convinced that the creatures she killed were the only of their kind.

This town, however, is not much more than charred ground and a few wooden structures. Whatever it used to be is long since destroyed. There is what looks to be the sign that announced the town's name, still standing, but the heavy wood is blackened. Over it is tacked a piece of parchment.

Glancing at her stunned friends, Xena dismounts Argo and rips the parchment from the sign. The violent motion cracks the wood in half. Taking no notice, Xena scans the note and then throws it to the ground angrily, "Son of a Banshee, I knew it!"

Gabrielle, curious, picks up the discarded parchment and reads it aloud. "'Xena, there is a cave just beyond this plain. Come alone if you want your stone.' Well, that's kind of blunt, isn't it? If we've been led here?"

Not paying any attention, Xena mutters, "I knew someone took it!" already looking for the cave. But dusk has settled and nothing is visible.

Hercules sighs at her frustrated expression, "Well, you can't go alone. It's obviously a trap. We'll camp here for the night and investigate in the morning."

Look determined, Xena shakes her head. "I can't risk it. If I don't go alone… I have to get my stone back."

A small voice pipes up, "What's the worry, Xena? Surely it will be safer with your friends along."

Spinning around, Xena glares at the demure brunette hanging on Hercules' arm, apparently with enough nerve to challenge her. "We'll," she looks pointedly at Hercules and Gabrielle, "discuss it in the morning."

It is as close of a concession as Xena is willing to make. Especially in the face of strangers amongst the group. She eyes them all distrustfully as she takes bags off of Argo's back, giving her horse a loving little pat, before tossing them to their respective owners. "Set up camp, I'm going to scout around."

Xena's gone before anyone can protest. Determined, Joxer starts clearing a space for them all to sleep that is slightly less charred than the rest of the town, setting out his bedroll and trying to decide where to build a campfire.

In the middle of helping Gabrielle unpack the necessary camp supplies, Jothe sighs loudly, "You all really think she's just going to take a look at this cave and come back?"

Hercules frowns, staring into the darkness without seeing the Warrior Princess. He shakes his head firmly. "Xena said we'll discuss it in the morning. We will."

"And you trust her! After everything with Ares and this stone and…" Gabrielle explodes into a rant that quickly tapers off, not sure exactly how much to reveal among present company.

Deanna and Jothe do not look shocked by this revelation. Joxer cuts in harshly, seeing the expressions of the two newcomers, "Oh, so you'll tell them all your little plans, but not me?"

The five campmates glare at each other for a moment, until Xena's return forces them to other tasks. The Warrior Princess glances at closed-off faces and sneaky glares and smirks, "What, you didn't think I was coming back?"

When her joke doesn't receive any laughter, Xena bites her lip, pulling out her own bedroll and digesting this fact. Not only don't they trust her motives, they think her a liar as well. And here she thought her friends would help her.

Despite the brightly lit morning air, the cave both looks and smells dank. Unnatural. No rays of light penetrate its interior, although the sun is at an appropriate angle to do so. It has a mineral, smoky smell.

None of this daunts Xena, who promptly ducks under the entrance and disappears into the darkness. Her friends and their traveling companions look at each other nervously, but they had been the ones to insist Xena not go alone - they aren't about to leave her now. For one, mistrust does not preclude loyalty, and for another point - they do not trust her with the stone anymore.

In quite a pack, they enter the darkness, moving directly forward and emerging rather quickly in a large, well-lit and open area of the mountain. Near them stands Xena, apparently quite frozen to the spot, and, across the clearing stands a self of odd little bottles, what looks to be a cauldron, and a scraggily but evil-looking old woman, holding a two inch amethyst dagger.

As the others enter the cave, the old sorcerer holds the stone over the cauldron, threatening, "I told you to come alone."

Xena looks positively murderous, her voice deadly calm, "Give it."

"Not so fast, Xena," a voice calls out. The occupants of the cave turn to Jothe, unbelieving as he morphs into the more familiar form of Apollo.

Just as they are standing stunned, several flashes of brightly colored light appear to the side of the room, between the sorceress and Xena.

Eyes wide, the assembled group takes in the various gods. Artemis, Discord and Callisto have more or less simultaneously appeared. Now that Apollo has revealed himself, he steps away from the group and a stunned Gabrielle. But he does not go towards his fellow gods. Artemis smirks, "A little too quick on the revelation, brother. But not quick enough."

Watching this development carefully, Xena glances disdainfully at the assembled gods. "Don't tell me you four have decided to be the saviors of Olympus."

But the gods are already moving away from one another. Callisto is the one who responds, "Xena, Xena. It's all about you - or, more precisely, your little stone."

Her voice is taunting. Before Xena can question her enemy on how and why she is here, Discord speaks up, her whining voice setting the rest of the occupants on edge. "Did you like my little gifts, Xena? Found your friends suddenly full of… strife and suspicion?"

Hercules narrows his eyes, having had more than enough unpleasant encounters with the goddess. "Discord, this was all you? I find that hard to believe."

"Of course not," Artemis shrugs indifferently. "She's just an unfortunate pawn that doesn't know enough to keep her hands off the prize." She turns then, past Hercules and to the woman at his side, "Deanna. You've done well."

Stunned, Hercules asks, "Deanna?"

But the young woman has already started moving away from him and towards Artemis, uncaring of anything else. Artemis allows a little smile, "Hercules, I do believe you've met Deanna - one of my most loyal maidens. She assured that my brothers did not lay their hands on the Anbreasia Stone before I did."

The word brothers is apt, for Ares has also appeared, nearer to Xena than his siblings, just in time to toss a well-aimed bolt at Discord, who was slinking towards the sorceress. "Oh that's it," Xena springs forward to attack the nearest god - Callisto.

Her path is unexpectedly blocked by a stern looking Joxer. Callisto brushes him aside, "That's all right, Joxer. I'll take care of Xena."

"So you're responsible for this new Joxer?" Xena spits out the question at Callisto, but her hurt eyes follow a retreating Joxer.

With the confusion of one fight launched, the others quickly join in. Joxer catches Deanna moving from Artemis towards the sorceress, who appears to be watching the happenings with some interest, and blocks her movements, pinning her to the wall. Hercules launches himself at Artemis, angered by her manipulation. Ares continues to advance slowly against Discord, "I told you to stay out of this," he growls.

For her part, Discord puts up a fair fight, while around them Gabrielle has marched up to Apollo and is berating him, betrayed and frustrated. "How could you pretend all that? Just to get at my friends?"

Apollo shrugs, smiling brightly against his blonde, sun god looks. "Dear Gabrielle, so naïve. It wasn't about you - a nice time, sure. But did you think it really meant more?"

While the various gods and mortals are fighting it out to get to the stone, hissing insults and accusations, the mysterious sorceress has managed to disappear. It is Hercules who finally notices, having been thrown in that direction by Artemis quite accidentally, when Ares and Discord bashed into her. "She's gone…" Louder, "THE STONE IS GONE!"

Frozen mid punch, kick, or throw, the rest of the cave falls silence. Her fist at Callisto's throat - where she has her pinned against a wall and has been demanding to know how she escaped, again - Xena glares. "I think I know who's missing from this little party."

She drops Callisto viciously, knowing that the psychotic blonde will not attack her in favor of the stone, and approaches Ares. There are a few snorts from the assembled group, irritated at the whispering between the two. Finally, Ares looks up and shouts, "AUNT HECATE!"

Nothing happens. The room looks around suspiciously. Ares glances at Xena and sighs, yelling again, "AUNT HECATE!"

Surprisingly, it is Hercules who joins the call first, followed by the twin gods. Soon all those with any blood relation to the goddess are echoing the cry, "AUNT HECATE!"

There is a flash of dark light, so dark that it is hard to even call it light. A hooded figure appears, bent much like the sorceress was. The gods stand silent as the hood is thrown off and the goddess straightens up, "Enough. I'm here." She offers a little grimace to Xena, "I told you to come alone."

"I want my stone," Xena's voice is hard as she regards the goddess, who appears to have been masquerading as the sorceress - an apt choice. "You obviously needed me here. If you want me to stay, you'll hand it over."

A glint of purple shines in Hecate's upheld fist drops down into the clear pool of the cauldron, leaving her free to disappear with a parting, "You have no idea, Xena."

The group makes a dive for it. Suddenly everyone is either trying to grab the stone or prevent another from grabbing it. Several hands end up reaching out at once to topple the cauldron. It spills out on the floor to reveal naught but a pool of a shimmery silver substance. Discord lets out a frustrated scream, "This is some sick joke," before disappearing. It's not worth the hassle of chasing a myth.

Unsure what to do, the fighting stops. Either Hecate never had the stone, or it is gone now. With a twin shrug, Artemis and Apollo disappear, taking Deanna with them. It was beneath them to become involved in such affairs to start with - they have no need to build further vendettas.

From more towards the center of the cave, Callisto smirks, "Well, Xena, I can't say that it's been all bad." She waits until the Warrior Princess and others turn towards her, "We'll be seeing you."

She extends a hand and Joxer pushes his way out of the crowd to take it, looking more determined and less of a fool than anyone would have ever taken him for. The two disappear in the customary blaze of fire.

Gabrielle and Hercules stand in shock, looking around the now nearly empty cave. Gabrielle goes up to the shelf of bottles, glancing at some of the odder labels, but nothing suggests whether this was an elaborate ruse or not. Xena stands off at one side, dejected, while Ares looks on curiously from the other. "Gotta love it when the family gets involved."

Hercules manages a snort of laughter, "Now you know what my life is like."

Not dignifying his half-brother with a response, Ares turns towards the cauldron, bending down to stare at the slippery substance that spilled out of it. It almost looks like a mirror, but cloudy and a liquid. He recognizes the material, dipping a finger into it cautiously. "She might have been spying on us with this."

Gabrielle turns forcibly away from the racks of potions, the spilled cauldron. She glances around her and sighs, fighting away tears at the missing presence of Joxer. Not waiting for questions, she slowly walks out of the cave, toward the burnt out village. Xena glances after her friend thoughtfully, but it is Hercules who follows first - knowing plenty about loss thanks to Iolaus' missing presence.

After the two figures have disappeared into the darkness, Xena turns to follow them. Her stride is stiff but purposeful. Ares' smooth voice cuts her off, "Well played, my dear."

Xena turns, "What are you talking about."

But a smirk is her only immediate answer. Ares moves up to her, one finger reaching out for her breastplate, trailing along the slightly warmed metal. "I should have known you'd get it back."

Lying through her teeth, Xena raises an eyebrow, stilling his hand with her own. Stills his words with a passionate kiss that distracts them both from questions about any amethyst dagger, and where it might be hiding.

The charred out campsite is oddly silent when Xena returns. Hercules and Gabrielle sit in contemplation of their various woes. Xena joins them, thinking about the events and chaos of the day. Finally, she speaks, voice cold and decisive. "There's no need to worry about the Anbreasia Stone anymore. It's gone."

Her friends glance up - obviously she knows that they were aware of its origins before this. It is Hercules who speaks up first, "Xena, I know that stone meant a lot to you… but it's better this way."

The friends lapse into silence again as Xena nods. An entire quest for this stone has only caused them each pain and the loss of another from their ranks.

Gabrielle looks up, her eyes red with shed and unshed tears, "I can't believe Joxer went off with Callisto. What… what's she done to him?"

Xena sighs, as Hercules looks away, distraught, "Callisto's changed him, Gabrielle. I don't know if our Joxer is left."

"I don't believe that…" Gabrielle wails, unable to come to terms with what she's been observing for the last weeks. "He didn't fall for her tricks before…"

Xena's face sets harder because even Gabrielle doesn't sound convinced by her own words. "Damn Callisto." She hisses out the name, "How dare she do this to Joxer! We'll try, Gabrielle, we'll try to rescue him. But if Joxer doesn't want to be saved, we may have to… we have to be prepared."

Glancing up, Gabrielle can't even nod at the horrible possibility of having to fight against Joxer. Good old Joxer who couldn't have harmed someone if he'd tried. "All he wanted was…" she sniffles, "to be our friend!"

The others nod. It is painful to think of such a kind man following in the footsteps of the crazed and evil blonde-turned-goddess. Hercules sighs, long and hard, "Joxer was… is… a good friend. But I'd rather not face him in battle - I need to save Iolaus - I'll let you two save Joxer."

Hercules rises from his seat, determined. The quest he said he would help with is over, and he must save his own best friend, rather than lose him to death. It's been long enough already. Xena nods, standing to clasp his arms and pull the large demigod into a hug, "Go get your friend. We'll do what we can."

Hercules accepts her hug and moves to hug Gabrielle, who sobs a little into his chest, but manages a small smile. "Good luck."

None of them mentions Deanna as yet another of Hercules' failed romances. It is unimportant, and enough women have taken in the hero for him to let it go. Grabbing his pack of things, Hercules offers one last wave and marches off in the direction they came, a lonely figure on a mission.

Once he has disappeared from view, a speck in the distance, Xena turns to her own best friend, regarding the bard with a sad expression. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry - about everything. I let myself get too obsessed over my stone." She moves closer to her friend and lays a tentative hand on her arm, "I forgot what's really important."

Looking up at the warrior, Gabrielle wipes at her eyes with her free hand and nods uneasily, "I was foolish, Xena. I trusted all the wrong things. I know you better than to be Ares' plaything."

For a second, both could swear that Xena stiffens, but then it passes. Xena sighs, "You don't have to worry about Ares. I'm not going to let him influence me," she offers a tense smile, "I have you to keep me from that."

"I guess he wasn't even the bad guy this time, for all my worrying," Gabrielle offers her friend a grin.

It's as close to an apology as she can get concerning the God of War. And Xena thinks that this is a good thing, as she pulls the bard into a tight hug, because someone needs to remind her not to believe him too easily - even when he's managed to be useful. Xena's not sure she can condone his version of 'any means necessary.'

The friends hug and laugh and Gabrielle cries over Joxer as they try to forget the mistrust that boiled between them. It's not the first time Xena has kept a secret, or that Gabrielle has resented her for it. But both have lost enough through this venture to remember that they do not want to lose each other.

After a long moment, Xena breaks away, scanning the barren landscape, "What do you say we see if there's any lakes around? We could catch some fish?"

"Xena, I don't catch the fish." Gabrielle shrugs, "I'll just stand there waiting for you to catch the fish so that I can cook them."

"That's what best friends are for."

Xena sits over the edge of the mountain cliff, well above the cave. She is bathed in moonlight, in her leathers but without her armor, thinking. They have decided to continue past the mountain, to see the towns beyond and find out what happened to this one. Even though Xena is fairly sure those flying monsters she killed had something to do with it.

There is a flash of blue against the moonlight, and a body sits next to her. "Hey."

Without glancing at Ares, Xena rests her head in his lap, hoping beyond hope that her moment of peace will not be destroyed. Talking was never their forte. "You know I can't give you the stone."

At least she's still to the point. Ares shrugs, "I know," resting one hand against her back.

"You know this can only be a one time thing," she is referring to the other morning, and they both know it.

Moving his hand in a light circle against her back, Ares glances out over the mountain and at the night view. It's pretty enough, he supposes, but not really his kind of scenery. Although, there is a scorched field to make him feel at home. "I'll never give up on you, Princess."

Xena offers a little half smile, turning her head to look at him, "I know."

Ares raises an eyebrow at her statement echoing his own. She turns back towards the view and, for several moments they just sit there. Silence is more their friend than words. After long enough has passed that the silence is comfortable, not impatient, Ares sighs, "I always meant it to be yours."

"So you didn't want it?" he can tell just from her voice that Xena doesn't buy it.

Unwilling to give in, Ares jokes, "Well, if you can't get it to do anything, what chance do I have?" They share a small laugh and he continues, "Besides, I was never interested in myths. I prefer the real thing."

Xena turns slightly, raising herself up, and Ares bends to catch her for a kiss, watching how the moonlight plays over her features and catches just a hint of purple tucked somewhere safe.