Xena and Gabrielle woke up the next day after testing the potion Regina made for them to go to the astral world. They put there work uniforms on and put there weapons on them then went off to start there day of work. They were doing great that was, until a similar face came walking in the door to Granny's. Xena and Gabrielle's face were in shock. Xena quickly grabbed her sword from behind Granny's counter in the matter of seconds and pointed it to the similar face with a mean *I'm gonna kill you* look
"Ares!" Xena said.
"Hello Xena. You know, you are the best warrior I know and I m shocked that your working in a small diner with Gabrielle!"
"Ares! What the hell are you doing here? How are you even here?" replied Xena.
"I'm a God. The God of War to be exact. I can do whatever I want and be wherever I want in the blink of an eye!"
"Alright you made your point there but how did you know where I was and how to find me?"
"Well you see that green twister that sucked you and Gabrielle up into this new world? That's a cyclone. I conjured it up to make it suck you and Gabrielle into this world!"
Xena laughed a sarcastic laugh then said " And why would you ever do that? Wanted to get rid of your *best warrior* because you and I both know I have many skills!"
Ares looked at Xena with a blank face for a moment.
"No Xena. I brought you and Gabrielle here to be safe from Alti. I heard she was back in town. I don't know how she is back knowing you defeated her; or so we thought!"
"Haha and why would you ever do something so foolish like that? Gabrielle and I can take care of ourselves!"
"Not this time Xena. Altie's power has enhanced as you should already know by your little fight with her previously. I was there just watching. You just couldn't see me fore I made myself invisible. I heard the legend about 30 years ago of a powerful witch who cast a dark curse to get her happy ending. Although just a few years ago, I heard The Savior came and broke this dark curse and had powerful magic. That's why I brought you here. To defeat Alti, you need her help!"
Xena just looked at Ares with a confused look but could tell he was telling the truth. Especially since she knew Ares always loved her.
"Alright Ares. I believe you. But if you saw that fight then you obviously know that Regina and Emma's magic didn't help very much. It was Gabrielle stabbing Alti in the stomach and my chakram slicing her back that wounded her." said Xena
"Oh I saw that. But who is this Regina and Emma you speak of?"
"They're the ones you obviously want to help us defeat Alti. Emma is The Savior and Regina is the evil witch that casted the dark curse. She turned good just as I did! They're also married with a son!"
Ares looked at Xena shocked.
"Oh wow. Well I wasn't expecting that. That version of the story certainly didn't get around in our world! Well, either way, you can't defeat her alone and you know damn well that I'm not gonna let you die Xena! You're the only woman I've ever loved even though I don't actually show you enough" replied Ares.
Xena made a chuckle with what Ares said and simply said "Right, you love me but you almost get me killed so many times too!"
"Ah, nah Xena. You know I didn't mean it like that. I always knew you'd get out of every situation I put you in."
Xena finally lowered her sword and told Ares that her and Gabrielle needed to keep working until they're shift was done. Xena told Ares to reappear to her and Gabrielle in a few hours so they all can go to Emma and Regina's house with a new plan.
After there shift was done, Xena and Gabrielle went to Emma and Regina's house. Xena and Gabrielle knocked on the front door and Emma opened the door to let them both in. They all went to sit in the living room once again.
Regina looked at Xena and said "Well hello Xena" then looked at Gabrielle and said "Gabrielle".
"Did you use the potion and go into the astral world to defeat Alti yet?" asked Emma.
"Um, no actually. Not yet. We have a little problem!" said Xena
"Problem? What kind of problem?" asked Regina
"You'll see" said Xena.
Xena looked around the room for a few seconds.
"Ares? Come out wherever you are!"
Right after Xena said that, Ares just appeared.
"Emma, Regina, meet Ares. The God of War from my world. Apparently he can come to and from each world with no problem!"
Emma made a surprise face then pointed her finger at Ares.
"Wait, you're the God of war?"
"In the flesh! I put Xena and Gabrielle in this world because I know she can't defeat Alti alone this time. Not with her power enhanced. She needs help with this Savior I've heard so much abou in my world. So, which one of you is the savior?"
Emma made a confused look.
"Wait, my magic isn't very useful to Alti. I found that out the hard way!" replied Emma
"Ah, so YOU must be the savior then?"
"Yes, I'm the savior. But how is my magic going to help when it didn't work before? My wife's magic didn't even work!"
"Oh, right Xena told me you married the evil witch who's curse you broke. I really don't care about those little details. I only care about one thing. Saving my love!" replied Ares.
Xena then looked at Ares with a serious face. Xena finally figured out exactly why Ares wanted Alti gone and it wasn't because of her. Not entirely anyway.
"You want Alti dead because she's trying to figure out a way to steal YOUR magic to kill you and become a God herself, isn't it? She can't become a God with the erosion because I took the last bit to come back to life a few years ago. But there's another way, isn't there Ares?"
Ares looked at Xena and took a deep breath and exhaled it.
"I never could trick you for long, could I XE-NA? replied Ares.
"Nope. Never. You forget Ares, I KNOW you! So tell me, what is this other way that Alti can become a God?"
"There is this guy who I kinda know. He has a dagger that can control him if you can get a hold of it. It can also take his magic and put it into you if you kill him with this dagger. With that being said, she can easily kill me with her power and the power she will get if she kills this guy I kinda know! So, I need you all to defeat her"
Emma and Regina were just in shock.
"I know exactly who you're talking about!" replied Regina
"Yeah, we both know who this guy is! But we don't know how you know *kinda* know him!" said Emma.
All the sudden gray smoke appeared and slowly faded with two people standing in the room near the entrance of the living room. Xena took out her sword as fast as she could and told Emma and Regina to run. Regina looked at Xena and then put her hand up and said "WAIT, STOP!"
Xena looked at Regina with a *are you serious? This woman is gonna kill us look*
Regina looked back at the two people standing in the entrance of the living room. One of them was of course Alti while the other person was certainly a surprise face no one ever thought they'd see again.
Regina looked as if she was gonna cry and with a sadden but scratchy voice said "Mother? But, how? How are you here? How are you alive?"
"Well this is my cue to leave!" Ares said and poof, he was gone.
Xena looked at Regina with a surprised look.
"Mother? This woman is your mother?"
"Yes, but she's supposed to be dead!" replied Regina.
Alti just laughed. Cora just stood there and said nothing.
"She's my leverage. After healing a bit, from what Xena and her little girlfriend did to me, I learned a little more about you two. Found out Emma is this Savior I heard about and Regina was the witch who cast the dark curse. After that, it was so easy to learn who to use for my leverage."
Regina looked at Alti with tears in her eyes then said "you're gonna pay!"
"Ha, I'd like to see you try" Alti replied.
"How?" Asked Xena.
Altie just laughed.
"Well, that's the fun part. Haven't you noticed my powers enhanced? I have more power then you Emma and even you Regina. I am able to bring back the dead now."
Alti looked at Regina and continued, "Your mother, Regina and if she doesn't help me she will die yet again but this time with much pain by me. So, she WILL obey my every command"
Cora then looked up at her daughter Regina with tears in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry my darling! But I don't wanna die again!"
Xena squinted her eyes while still holding up her sword.
"How the hell did you get more powerful?"
"Well Xena, when you defeated me the first time, I did die. I met Hades and I made a deal with him. Apparently the soul of the warrior princess was much more better fun to have then mine. Apparently you have a lot of goodness in your soul and in your future lives that he wants to destroy!"
"So he brought you back, made you stronger? Just to get me?"
"Bingo!" Altie replied.
"We're still meeting in the astral world. Only this time, Cora here will help me go there more easily and this time, I will kill you Xena!"
"Yeah? Well we'll see about that?" replied Xena.
"Meet me in the astral world this time tomorrow and come alone. No Gabrielle. Just you"
And just like that, gray smoke appeared and they were gone.
Regina was furious to know her mother was alive again and she was gonna do everything in her power to make it stay like that. She didn't wanna lose her mother again. Not when her and her mother made amends right before she accidentally killed her when Snow tricked her. Regina figured she could get a second chance with her mother.
Emma looked at Regina then cupped her face with her hands and kissed her lips gently.
"Don't worry Regina, we'll find a better way to defeat Alti tomorrow! I won't let her hurt Cora even if I think she's evil!"
Regina looked at Emma with a soft smile with tears still rolling down her face.
"You'd make sure my mother stays alive for me? Do you remember what she did?"
"Of course I remembe honey but if you can change then so can she. She deserves a second chance if she can get one!"
Regina just cupped Emma's face gently so now they both were holding each other.
"Thank you!" replied Regina.
Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other then back at Emma and Regina.
"Alti said I need to go to the astral world tomorrow alone. You can't be there!" said Xena.
Gabrielle then looked at Xena with watery eyes.
"NO! You are NOT going alone Xena!" replied Gabrielle.
"I agree with Gabrielle. You're not doing this alone!" replied Emma.
"And how in the world do you think you can go with me without Alti knowing?"
"I don't know for sure but I know exactly who to ask. His name is Rumpelstiltskin. He's the dark one here and he's also the guy with the dagger that Ares was talking about!" replied Regina.
Just after Regina said that, Emma suggested they all go to Gold's shop to get Rumple's help. Emma filled in Xena and Gabrielle more about Rumple and about how he runs a shop here in Storybrooke. Emma even told them about his wife Belle and how she fell in love with the man behind the beast within.
Once they all got to Gold's shop, Rumple was there working behind the counter like he always does.
"Well dearies, what do we have here?"
"We need your help Gold!" Emma said.
Emma and Regina explained everything that just happened to Gold. After explaining, Gold shook his head in understanding.
"Well if you want my help dearies, it's gonna have to cost you?"
"Cut the shit Gold! You'll help us no matter what or else Alti will find a way to get your dagger and become the dark one herself!" replied Regina.
Gold just looked at Regina with a blank face for a few seconds.
"Well then, we better get to work! I will help you make a separate potion that everyone except Xena will have to add to your potion that Regina made. It will make it to where only Xena is going to be visible in the astral world! I'll also make sure that in this separate potion, you'll still have all your magic in the astral world!"
"And you think it'll work?" asked Emma.
"Oh trust me, it'l work dearie! My magic never fails me!"
"It better or we're all probably gonna end up dead and I prefer to be alive!" said Regina.
"And you think I don't? I prefer to be alive just as much as you do! Now, meet me back here tomorrow evening. By then everything will be all set and we're all going to the astral world!"
"What, now your going too?" asked Emma
"Well of course I'm going. No one is getting my dark one dagger or my magic!"
"Alright point taken but I have just one other question for you. How does The God of War know you?" asked Emma
"Well why do you ask?"
"Here's here!" replied Xena.
Xena explained why Ares told her why he was there and how they got to Storybrooke from Ares!
"Well then, we need to defeat Alti now!"
Then Rumbe looked at Emma and said "Oh, and if you need to know, I'm the dark one. I can go and be anywhere in any realm EXCEPT for this world since this is a world without magic beyond Storybrooke! So,if you don't mind I'm gonna go make that potion to get this Alti person out of Storybrooke!"
*notes*
I thought this was a good point to stop so I can have more action in the next chapter. I hope you like my story.