Title : Formerly Alive
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )
Rating : R
Pairing : LL/BD
Timeline : Season One
Summary :Joxer gets in trouble with
Olympus.

Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me a line if you're interested.

Second, due to health issues, and taking careof my disabled mom, I haven't been able towrite much. But over the last several yearsI've managed to slowly write on a numberof stories.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and
publish what I've managed to put stories are unfinished, and sometimes,the last chapter I worked on is , there maybe multiple chapters, each one a different version. Just warning everyone.

So I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer : Not mine.

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Prologue
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Strife stared up at his uncle as he felt his life force slipping away from him. The intense giggling bublling from his aching chest at the thought that crossed his mind. Closing his eyes he reached out across Greece using the last of his dying power to pull his greatest prank of all.

Ares stared into Athena's cold blank look. The goddess bent next to the body grabbing his arms to remove his wrist guards. Her eyes snapped up to Ares in rage.

" Where are they? "

" Where's what? "

" His wrist guards. Where are they?! "

Ares eyes shifted from her outraged face to his nephews now bare arms. He suddently understood why Strife had been giggling. He smirked a little seeing the humor in the situation.

" Do you realize what this means? " She demanded.

" Strife got the last laugh. "

Joxer squatted down intently staring at the large rabbit. It's nose twitched slightly raising its large black eyes up to meet his. He gulped as he saw the innocent kindness of the white rabbit. He shook his head firmly clamping down on those feelings.

He was a warrior and warriors didn't get upset over having to kill fluffy sweet innocent...

' Stop it, Joxer. '

Gritting his teeth he unsheathed his sword and pounced. The rabbit hopped to the side, sending Joxer sprawling onto the ground.

The rabbit stared at him with amusement. It's nose twitching rapidly, one of its ears flopping up clumsily. Joxer shifted his grip on the sword tensing his body for his next attack. He wasn't going to let some rabbit make a fool of him.

The glimmer of light on metal diverted his attention. The rabbit all but forgotten. He crawled over to the small bed of leaves. He sifted through them until he uncovered the black leather and silver wrist guards. They were brand new in appearance, the metal work flawless.

' Why would anybody leave such expensive guards out here? '

The soft nibbling behind him made him remember his stomach. Pocketing the wrist guards, he turned back to the rabbit. It's large black eyes staring at him unconcerned.

Joxer picked his sword back up.

' We'll see whos the warrior, and whos the rabbit. '

With that thought he prepared for the ferocious battle that lay ahead.

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Chapter One
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Xena stared around the abandoned camp sight with anger and concern. Their friend had been there, his pack lay on its side, the contents scattered over the ashen ground. His helmet and armor was dented, burnt almost black. The camp fire was long cold, covered with flies attacking the untouched meat.

Her eyes roamed over the log next to the fire, freezing at the sight of the dried blood. Gabrielle leaned next to the stain, following it to the dried puddle on the rocks in front of it.

" You don't think that... "

" No..."

Gabrielle stared up at her hard. The cold fear in her eyes drilling into Xena's. Xena moved to Argo after a moment.

" Joxer's fine. " Xena declared firmly as she leaped onto her horse.

" Where are we going? "

" Theres a village near by. They might know something. "

The temple was finally empty, much to his relief. Aphrodite was off doing... What ever it was that a love goddess did. Which gave him the perfect oppurtunity to escape. He absolutely had to get out of there. Xena and Gabby were waiting for him. As it was they were probably going to kill him.

Joxer concentrated like Dite had showed him. The temple faded out as he materialized in an alley way of a village. Glancing around he recognized it as the one near his camp site. Joxer quickly made his way out into the town market.

Joxer threw his right arm out as he walked through the crowded market, hitting a scarred warrior in the face. Said warrior took a step back to regain his balance. His foot landing on a fish, sending him into the fruit vendors wagon.

The wagon rolled several feet, knocking several people to the ground, and crashing into the wine vendors stand. The stand splintered, allowing several barrels of wine rolling off it. One of the barrels hit the mayor. Who let out a high pitched scream falling back into the town well.

Another barrel rolled towards Athenas newest temple. Slamming into one of the torches that marked the entrance. The torch fell off landing on the barrel, causing the wine to explode. The temple burst into flames, spreading on to the black smiths shop. The door to the shop flew open.

A naked man hopped out, struggling to get his pants on. Followed by a young woman, holding her dress up over her body in an attempt to cover herself. The butched let out a animalistic bellow.

" That's my wife! " The large man charged the black smith.

The black smith side stepped him, over balancing the butcher. The butcher landed on the fish vendors wagon, scattering fish across the square. One of the fishes landed behind the horses hooked up to the wagon being loaded with windows.

Five hungry hunting dogs were tied to the railing of the weapons shop, next to the wagon. The dogs all leaped at the fish, jerking and yanking at the poorly tied leather strips that held them.

After several tries the knot came undone, letting the dogs attack the fish. As the dogs got the fish, the horses spooked, causing them to rear up and set off in a wild gallop. The windows fell out of the wagon, shattering on the ground.

A thick long piece of glass flew up to the second story of the new tavern being built, hitting a teenager as he bent over. The teenager grabbed his rear, howling like a tom cat in heat. He stepped back quickly, falling off the building.

A third barrel rolled onto a piece of wood that was propped on a large boulder, as the teenager landed on the other end. Catapulting the wine barrel up into the air. The warrior that Joxer had knocked into got up and charged him in anger.

As the warrior stopped directly in front of Joxer, his fist drawn back, the wine barrel landed on his head. Driving him into the ground in a heap of splintered wood and wine.

" Oops. "

Joxer backed away from the towns people as they slowly began to stand up. The silent rage almost deafening.

Joxer decided he'd better get himself out of there fast, not caring where he ended up. In his haste he found himself materializing

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To Be Continued