Disclaimer: In chapter 1. However, I do need to add that 'Fins, Femmes and Gems' wasn't written by me, and I am just borrowing it for artistic and entertainment purposes.

Author's Notes: I hope my fellow Xenites enjoy this little rendition of FFG. I have taken artistic license, so please don't hate me for any of the changes. I tried to be true to the essence of this awesome episode (it's my favourite). The FFG portion of 'Hero' will be fairly X/G focused, but Regina and Emma still play a part. This experience may even bring them closer….. Thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favouriting and following "Hero".

Also: If you want a Xena magnet go to Shipper Haven on Facebook and follow the link to their eBay page. Mine is on my fridge already. They have quite a good selection.

Xena held the reels calmly in her hands. With a sigh she glanced over her shoulder at Gabrielle to say something but her initial words died upon the scene. She couldn't hide the disgust from her face, "What are you doing?"

Gabrielle used her finger to smear the red paste over her lips. She held Xena's sword in her other hand to see herself in the reflection of the blade. "Oh, I'm just highlighting perfection with some berry juice."

"Yeah, looks good on you. Only, they're not berries… they're crushed bugs I was using for bait."

Regina snickered evilly. She sat on the log down from Gabrielle with her bag of dirt, another sapling with fresh green leaves sprouted on its top.

Gabrielle violently spat out and off whatever residue bug paste she could.

"Gabrielle, uh," Xena threw over her shoulder, "you know that diamond we were looking for earlier?"

"Diamond?" Gabrielle asked as she picked guts out of her hair. "Was that today?"

"Yes." Xena nodded. "I've never seen it, but I heard that it's, uh, it's perfect, just like you."

Regina scoffed. She wasn't fazed by the glare Xena threw her way, and instead raised her eyebrow in a silent conversation.

"I'm glad you could finally admit that, Xena. You know, that must've been difficult for you. I realize the envy that I inspire."

Xena rolled her eyes. "Right. Well, that's why Aphrodite wanted it. I know that now."

"What do you mean?"

"She thinks of herself as the perfect female. Immortal or otherwise," Xena shrugged.

Gabrielle held up Xena's sword aggressively, one had on the handle, the other on the blade. "She thinks that she's the perfect female?" She demanded.

"She obviously thought that the perfect diamond was something that she should be wearing. Well, it's like a badge, announcing her as the most beautiful creature in the universe."

Regina's couldn't help but steal a glance in the direction of Emma. It looked like the blonde Sheriff was doing something like Tai Chi. She had to stifle a giggle when Emma nearly lost her balance.

Gabrielle threw Xena's sword over her shoulder and it landed with a thud. "Let's go, Xena."

Xena turned around, the most wide-eyed and innocent expression on her face, "Where?"

"To get the diamond." Gabrielle stated. She held her staff resolutely. "If it's perfection, I should possess it."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I feel a bite comin' on." Xena turned back to the lake. "But, ah, Maecanus should be passing by this lake, soon. Ah, maybe, you…" Xena sighed contently when Gabrielle disappeared. She smiled at the peacefulness of the lake before her. She ignored the two mothers behind her. She knew they wouldn't bother her, too emerged in their obsessions, and frankly caring would have distracted her from her important mission: to catch Solaris. Besides, her armour was snuggly and safely in its place.

"And he says, 'Your sandal?" One of Maecanus' men joked, "I thought that was my dinner.' Huh."

Maecanus frowned, "I don't get it."

The other thug asked, "His sandal?"

Maecanus tried to think, "I thought… I don't get it."

"He ate it," the first guy said, trying to explain the punchline, "'cause he thought it was his, you know? When he kicked it off his foot, you know? The sandal, and it landed… "

"I don't get it." Maecanus said again.

"Yodel-ay-hee-hoo!" Gabrielle landed in front of them.

Xena heard the sound of the confrontation in the distance, "You go, Gabrielle!"

More fighting sounds could be heard, and Regina looked up at Xena in alarm.

"You're beautiful when you're angry." Xena grinned proudly.

Yet again, Regina couldn't help but look at Emma after Xena's words. She had often thought that about the blonde who had been a thorn in her side. The former Queen was only now just coming to terms that it was one of the reasons she constantly picked fights with the Saviour. Her own anger, at Emma and mostly herself, grew as she watched Emma's lean muscles move with the strain of pulling her body weight up on a thick branch. She forced her eyes to her growing little tree in her lap. It won't hurt me, she told herself, and didn't bother to wipe away the tears. It won't doubt me or leave me.

Gabrielle whacked the thugs with her staff and knocked the pouch with the diamond into the air. She caught it and took off at a run, "Ha-ha!"

Maecanus cried, "After her!"

Xena could hear Joxer's animal sounds in the background. It concerned her because she could no longer hear Gabrielle. She had to do something about that. "Joxer!"

"Uh! Uh!"

"I mean, Attus, come here." Xena rolled her eyes.

"He! He! He! " Joxer landed near her, " Uh! Hmm."

"You want the princess, right?"

"Attus want!"

"You need the princess, right?"

"Attus need! Ah!" He hit his chest three times. "Ah-ah!"

"Well," Xena drawled, "here's what you do." She leant over and whispered to him. She hadn't noticed that Regina had planted her new tree nearby and was patting down the last of the dirt while she strained to hear the warrior's words.

"Give us the diamond!" Maecanus yelled as she chased after Gabrielle.

"Hey, Emma, want to save the day?" Xena called for the older blonde.

Emma's eyes flashed open from her meditation. She leapt up and raced to Xena's side. "What do you need?"

Xena lowered her voice and explained the plan in a whisper. She pointed to various spots during her whispered instructions. Emma nodded enthusiastically and then hurried off to prepare for her moment of heroism.

"This way. We got her now."

Gabrielle slowed as she approached the wall of fallen rocks Xena had caused earlier. She turned, "Hold it, boys!" She sighed, "Huh, do you think I'm not used to men chasing me? Same old story." She pulled at her top, "Can't believe I'm beginning to chafe. OK, look, I'm sure that even people of your ilk can appreciate perfection, right?"

"Sure, we can," Maecanus agreed. "Kill her!"

Emma tugged the rope and pulled the knot tight. She trailed the length of it along the ground and kicked the sand over the top as she went.

"Kill her!"

Gabrielle chuckled, "That's funny."

"You're trapped. Now, give us the diamond, and we'll make sure your loved ones can identify the body." He raised his crossbow.

"This body?" She questioned.

"Hmm," he nodded.

"Are you insane? Gabrielle demanded. "Have you no understanding of absolute, inviolate comeliness?"

"Hmm?" Maecanus and his thugs shrugged, confused by the big words. He looked at her with a tilt of his head, "Guess not."

"Xena!"

Xena's energetic whistle permeated the area, and Regina rolled her eyes as she approached the water and recognised it. "You're whistling you own theme song? Seriously!" She huffed, "And Emma thinks I'm self-absorbed…"

Xena ignored Regina, and only whipped her head around and paused when she heard Gabrielle's cry for help, "Xena"

She turned back to the water and continued to whistle, her plan already in motion.

"I don't wanna break a nail," Gabrielle whined.

Joxer landed next to her and grabbed her around the waist. "He! He! He! Ohh!" They swung off into the trees.

"After her!" Maecanus howled.

"Up the wall?" The joker asked.

"Are you a mountain climber?"

"No."

"Well, then this way." Maecanus led them back towards the lake.

"He! He! He! Aoooooooooo!" Joxer and Gabrielle swung through the trees and finally came to land on a sturdy branch.

"Uh!" Gabrielle struggled for her balance. "Joxer, you saved me."

"Hmm." He agreed. "Now, time for Zug-zug!"

"Huh?" An arrow flew close past them. She gasped as another arrow landed in the trunk behind Joxer, "Oh, no!"

"Ah! Bird brother!" Joxer pulled the arrow from the trunk. "Go! Fly!" He launched the arrow like a bird from his outstretched hands, "Tell your people of Attus, the ape-man. Bring tribute!" He clapped his hand once, "Go! Fly!"

Another arrowed hit the trunk, "Joxer! Swing! El swingo!"

"Hmm. Attus not afraid! Attus king of jungle!" He stood tall and proud. An arrow landed between his legs. "Ow! Hmm? Attus renounce throne."

Emma lay in wait, and watched keenly as Maecanus and his men chased the swinging duo. Nearly there… she mentally counted the steps between them and her in her head. Wait for it… At the last moment she yanked up the rope she had wrapped around her hands and pulled it taut. All three men face-planted the ground with a painful thud.

She leapt up and pumped the air with her fist, "Yes!" She didn't give them time to chase her before she disappeared into the trees.

Xena watched as her parchment floated through the air, the hooked attached below dangled mere centimetres over the flat surface of the water. There was a splash when Xena looked over her shoulder towards the pathway and she immediately turned back. The hook had disappeared into the water and there was a pulled on one of the lines. She threw the line to the parchment aside and held the unravelling reel loosely in her hands and let the line trail out.

Xena gasped, "Solaris!"

"Xena!" Gabrielle cried as she ran towards Xena but was caught by the rope that the thugs threw at her and Joxer. "Xena! Xena! Catch!" Gabrielle threw the pouch into the air before they were pulled against a small tree and the rope, weighed at the ends with a rock, wrapped around them and pinned them to the tree Regina had just planted.

Xena caught it with practised precision. She clipped it onto her waist where her chakram usually sat and watched as Maecanus approached her with his sword raised. "Give me the diamond, little girl. Don't make me kill you."

Xena gave him a predatory grin, "You're new around here, right?"

Xena leapt and lifted one of her legs higher and kicked Maecanus hard in the chest, sending him sprawling back into his men. One of his men helped him back up and the other approached Regina, who had been standing off to the side with her arms ready by her sides. She didn't even have time to conjure a fireball before Emma came out of nowhere and threw her body at him, tackling him to the ground. He saw the determined look on Emma's face as he scrambled to his feet, and the way she stood in front of Regina left no room for argument. He decided that three against one Xena was better odds.

His friend had already been thrown into the water over's Xena's shoulder, Maecanus was just kicked backwards, and then his friend back kicked into the water again. He ran at Xena and she ducked this swing of his sword and kicked him to the side of the face which sent him sprawling. She back handed water-boy as Maecanus approached her with his sword. Xena pushed it aside and grabbed his wrist. She twisted it and kicked him in the stomach. Xena lifted her leg and knocked the sword out of his hand before she kicked him in the face three times, the last sending him back again.

The thug who stupidly attacked Regina was on his feet and being stupid again; he swung his sword at Xena who ducked again and then kicked out, connecting with the side of his knee. Emma cringed quickly before she brought her clasped hands down like a hammer and slammed them onto his head. He stumbled forward and into Xena's waiting grasp. She grabbed his arm and flung him over her shoulder into the water. He knocked his friend over who had just managed to get up again.

Gabrielle implored her friend, "Xena, forget about Solaris, please!" She watched Xena kick Maecanus yet again.

"Never!" Xena screamed as she manoeuvred around Maecanus' head and tied the line around his neck. "After all this time - never!" She kicked the two thugs back into the water just as Maecanus flew forward with the pull of the line and his head collided with a nearby tree. Xena didn't even consider that it could have been on of Regina's as she approached the man and pulled the limp line, bringing the bare hook onto the wet sand. She slammed her hands down on his back in frustration.

"My dress is wrinkling." Gabrielle hinted as Xena stood up.

"He's gone." Xena growled when she cut the rope from her friends.

"Ooh. Ooh. Ooh." Joxer lumbered off up the hill. "Ooh! Ah! Ahh! Ooh! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ooh. I must get tribute from Brother Hippo."

Gabrielle brushed herself off, "He got away, huh?"

"Yeah, but it worked." She grinned at Gabrielle, and Emma and Regina who had just arrived at her side. "Everything worked beautifully, guys, except…"

Gabrielle cut in, "He still got away, now give me the diamond." She held out her hand.

Xena gave her an exasperated look, but pulled out the diamond anyway. "It's beautiful," Xena and Regina said at the same time.

"Mmm," Gabrielle nodded. "You were right to think that only I should wear that. Now, you gonna give it to me?"

Xena looked at the diamond a moment longer before her gaze turned to the water. A mischievous smile formed on her lips, "I got an idea."