Disclaimers: See Chapter 1

Additional Note (Please Read): This tale is a companion with, The Conqueror & Ri: A Twist of Destiny. If you haven't read both stories' chapters preceding this one, you should do so now. Want to give thanks to my Beta, Jinxie, and also my avid readers. Enjoy. :-)

Xena & Gabrielle,

A Turn of Fate,

By, Ahkiken

Chapter 32: Magnificent Replica

'This isn't possible... I must be dreaming another premonition. Soon I'll wake up and will be resting comfortably on my bed in Corinth. I know it.' Ri fretfully ruminated. 'This can't be real. By the gods, don't let this be reality. Please let this nightmare end before Xena gets back. She'll hurt me if I do not tell her what happened to Gabrielle, and I doubt she will believe my necklace teleported me here in Gabrielle's place when I have difficulty convincing myself...'

The storyteller glimpsed downwards at the sparkling jewelry encircling her neck, knowing the jade shard was the cause of the madness that she found herself in.

'Why did Milady give this accursed thing to me!?' Her hands grasped the pendent, and she began pulling on it, hoping the necklace would loosen. 'My life is ruined, all because of this!'

Finally a voice registered in Ri's ear.

"Pardon me, what did you say?" She asked, ceasing her vain tugging.

"I said, your hair grew." Kenji repeated. "How, when you've just cut it not so long ago? Is it because of the Ryujin on your back?"

"I'm not sure." Ri dodged the question, espying the monk's features in the dawn's light. "I... I know you."

"Well, I think you should, Gabrielle San." Kenji expounded. "We have been acquainted for an entire moon now."

"No... No, I'd seen you in my dreams." Ri declared.

"Your dreams? Gabrielle San, are you okay?" Kenji inquired, preparing to ignite the lantern, only to see that the candle had burnt out completely.

Ri closed her eyes, recalling the bald man who'd knocked on her cabin door in the second vision she had. The strawberry blonde remembered him talking to her, but their conversation was mute and she couldn't bring forth what was spoken between them. Next, Ri cogitated on the tragedy that harrowed the vessel while she was on the top platform with Xena.

She quickly arose from the cot. "We are on a ship."

Kenji became disorient. "Gabrielle San, are you unwell?"

"And it's a really big ship, isn't it, sir?" Ri sounded frantic.

"Yes... You know it is."

"All of us are in danger!" Ri shouted. "They will come and kill every person aboard! We have to warn everybody!"

Kenji trekked towards Ri, nearly slipping on the vomit the petite woman disgorged.

Looking down, he questioned, "Is this the mess Xena Sama told me of?"

"It's my fault." Ri felt embarrassed. "I threw up before you arrived... I'll wipe it up if you permit me to do so. Afterward, we have to apprise every one of the attack."

Being close to Ri, Kenji verified what Xena had kept secret in advance of her leaving Gabrielle's cabin. The female in front of him wasn't the little Samurai at all.

"You aren't Gabrielle San, are you?" He queried.

"We look similar, nevertheless, I'm not her." Gabrielle's twin shook her head, knowing how crazy she was going to sound. "My name is Ri and I think Gabrielle switched worlds with me. While I am here in her place, I can only presume she is in mine."

The monk looked shocked, keeping his comments to himself. He didn't want to overwhelm her with non-stop inquiries. Placing both his appendages on her shoulder, Kenji gently eased Ri to sit on the edge of the cot again.

"I'll be right back." Kenji professed.

"Are you going to inform Xena about the men on the other ship?"

"We'll tell Xena Sama in time. I'm going to go get another candle for the lantern, so my Shogun can see you better." Kenji stated, making his way to the door.

"Shouldn't you do what Xena has ordered and guard me? I don't want you to get in trouble." Ri's concern was genuine.

"I'll return swiftly." Kenji admired her pleasant behavior. "Stay in here. I'm trusting you to not do anything crazy."

Then the monk left the room, leaving Ri alone. Troubled by her thoughts, she decided to clean the remnants that spewed out of her mouth. Lifting off of the cot once more, and not bothered by deficient sunlight, she easily walked past the makeshift tub to the two vessels of water that sat on the table. Many years of serving the Conqueror at night and predawn candle-marks rewarded Ri with the talent to maneuver in the dark.

Wetting a cloth in one of the basins, her mind wandered. She had no idea what was going to happen to her when Xena came back with the Shogun, or what would befall Gabrielle if she did get transported to her world. From her visions, Ri's recollection of the short-haired blonde submitted a woman who was fierce in her preparation for fighting and lovemaking between the sheets. Was she handling what has transpired just as efficiently?

Draining the cloth of its excess water, Ri mused, 'Faring greater than I am, I suppose.'

Kneeling down, Ri started cleaning up her mess, wondering what the people whom cared about her would do after they discovered she was gone. Would Gabrielle pay the consequences when Chancellor Meleager and the Conqueror caught wind of Ri's disappearance? Would they try to ken what is happening or resort to beheading and crucifying her? Would the towhead surrender, or would blood be spilled because of her fight for survival. Was it plausible that Gabrielle had omens too, and is aware of what's going on?

'Xena knew who I was before I disclosed my name.' Ri reflected, pausing her task to glance at the Conqueror's farewell gift to her. 'Is Gabrielle and Xena like me; victimized by this unfortunate shard? Or are they both equally responsible?'

Ri stood onto her feet, rinsing out the nasty cloth in the basin of clear liquid, dreading what cruel judgment the Fates had in store for her. The storyteller came to accept this wasn't a dream, and she was on a doomed ship that would be attacked. The monk did aver they'd enlighten Xena, and Ri was at least happy with that prospect. She didn't want to see anyone die again, especially the woman who was akin to the Conqueror.

'Kenji said we would tell her in time... Time? I don't understand what 'time' means.' Ri groused, throwing the cloth into the bowl of water, and taking a seat on the cot to wallow in ignorance. "All of this is inscrutable."

{X&G}

"You have got to be joking?" Harukata asked, not finding Xena's jest risible. "Gabrielle San has switched worlds with someone who's identical because of an Omphalos stone? And you want to turn back to Greece? Is this a concoction to get you out of going to Japa?"

"I don't have time playing with you! Gabrielle has been spirited away!" Xena rebutted. "She's gone off to some other world and is in peril! I have to return to Thebes! I must search for the merchant who sold me the ring that's caused this!"

"Calm down, Warrior Princess." The Shogun adjured, adjusting to the information he'd recently heard, anent to the bard's vanishment and her mysterious look-alike's materialization. "I won't deny your seriousness that Gabrielle disappeared. Still, you must listen to reason... We are halfway to Japa. If we travel back to Greece, it would take another month for us to get there. There's no telling how long it'll be before you hunt down this merchant, or the venture you'd have to undertake to undo what is occurring. However, Higuchi, as well as Shinto, will meet their destruction during your investigation."

Xena's knuckles pounded Harukata's cot whilst rising to her feet. "I have to go back! All you have to do is drop me off and leave."

"But I require your assistance to defeat Yodoshi. What of the souls that he has entrapped within himself?" The Shogun queried. "Will you abandon them to their-"

"Compared to Gabrielle, I don't give a fuck about them!" Xena interrupted.

Harukata was appalled. "The inhabitants of Japa? Shall they suffer the same fate?"

"They can burn inside Yodoshi for all I care!" Xena blatantly responded.

"And the Greater Good you claim to uphold, what will become of that?" Harukata needed to strike a nerve. "What will happen to Akemi?"

"Enough of your frivolous questions! I want Gabrielle returned to me!" Xena yelled, walking to stand in front of him. "Now, you have two options; you can either aid me or not. Choose wisely, because if you don't help me, I'll have no choice but to commandeer your warship, and you won't survive the outcome of that."

"I've tolerated your threats more times than I needed to. I can't and will not jeopardize the lives of my citizens, nor the sun Kami's remaining temples." Harukata was firm. "We should speak to this Ri... I'm certain Gabrielle is still alive."

"For now." Xena scoffed, turning away from the Shogun.

Although Eli had cautioned Gabrielle about Ri's world, she feared the trouble her soul mate faced. According to the Amazon's vision, she'd somehow gotten herself arrested and imprisoned in a dungeon, awaiting her trial for being an alleged assassin and spy. When, and not if, she became guilty, Gabrielle would be executed by hanging or decapitation.

'The Conqueror also confirmed my death to Gabrielle.' Xena digested. 'Seeing that I'm not going to die until she is brought back to this world, perhaps we've altered the foretelling, and her imprisonment won't take place.'

Xena's silence gave Harukata courage to press on. "We don't know exactly who is controlling this Omphalos stone or setting these-"

"I've mentioned what is doing this!" She snapped.

Harukata stayed tranquil. "You avowed it was a goddess, but we do not know her identity."

"You make my point for me, Harukata." Blue eyes glared at him. "That's why I have to get to Greece, find the merchant, and get that old bastard to confess everything he knows."

"What if the merchant doesn't have any knowledge of the goddess? It would be wasted time."

"Maybe it's Amaterasu." Xena accused. "Kami is just another term for goddess, is it not?"

"Careful, Warrior Princess." He chided. "The sun Kami has no power in lands other than Japa."

Xena sneered, "Gods always discover tactics to break their limitations. Why should Amaterasu be any different?"

"She is dissimilar to your Greek gods, I can assure you." The Shogun asserted.

Xena grew weary of the useless chatter. "Will you steer the ship back to Scione's port?"

"I cannot." Harukata sadly declined. "I'm perturbed over Gabrielle's absence as well, but every second is pivotal that we reach Higuchi. We must award Morimoto our strength to prevent Yodoshi from destroying Korei-den."

"What if Higuchi's temple is already destroyed? Would that change your mind?" Xena quizzed.

"No." Harukata's pulse sped up. "Will you try killing me and appropriate my warship?"

Deducing she could slaughter everyone on the enormous vessel, Xena noted she was giving into her dark side that was generated by anger. She felt like it was her foible for dismissing Gabrielle's anxiety when she'd admonished her that she could possibly exchange places with Ri. The Amazon implored the raven-haired warrior to hold off her death if she got whisked away. Murdering the Shogun and his Samurai wouldn't be something the bard wanted.

"I won't kill you, Harukata." Xena replied. "If I did, I will probably have to massacre everyone on this ship. That would pose a problem for me, because I'll only have Tanya to row in the galley."

"Glad to hear that you won't gain a propitious solution from my demise." The Shogun was relieved, putting on his sandals. "Since we are finished with violent motives, let's go converse with this double."

Xena silently concurred with him, her bare feet traversed forward to open his cabin door and leave out of it. In quiescence, they traipsed the first tier's hull to Gabrielle's room. Once they'd entered it, the Warrior Princess espied Kenji using the flint stones to light the lantern while Harukata gazed at Ri in amazement.

'Unbelievable!' He contemplated, learning that Xena's dubious malarkey was indeed truthful. 'She is a magnificent replica of Gabrielle.'

Taking her view off of the monk, Xena studied Ri in the new lighting of the lodging. Ri's long strawberry blonde hair outlined a pretty face and her cream-colored shift covered a trim frame. There were differences though. Ri looked precisely like Gabrielle, only younger than the warrior-bard, who was more hardened by the rough life of a warrior. Plus Ri's breasts were smaller paralleled to Gabrielle's and Xena had further internal perception of her other intimate distinctions.

'She has the appeal of Gabrielle when she was a teenager.' Xena summed just as Ri's irises locked with hers.

Ri was stunned by Xena's comeliness. It was strange to look at a youthful version of the Lord Conqueror in the flesh again. The candle-lit room beautified her even more than Ri's dreams ever could.

"Shogun." Kenji shattered the quietness. "Breakfast is prepared. Do you want me to bring it here or to your cabin?"

"My room will be fine, Kenji." Harukata proclaimed.

"Very well. How about you, Xena Sama?" The monk inquired. "Do you want me to bring food for you and our guest?"

The query hadn't averted the two women's eyes from parting. They'd continued to look in each other's orbs till Ri began to feel queasy. Disconnecting whatever it was that made them stare at one another, the storyteller's sight went to the wooden floorboards while she rubbed the bump on her wrist, quelling her stomach. Regaining her senses, Xena shoved aside the unknown sensation that coursed through her and tried concentrating on what questions she wanted answered by Ri.

Kenji decided to repeat the offer, "Xena Sama, do you-"

"What?!" Xena interjected, becoming annoyed.

Harukata intervened. "Bring them both some food, Kenji."

Understanding Xena's agitation, the monk bowed to his Shogun and departed the cabin to do what was bade, ruminating whilst trailing the path to the caboose on the bottom deck, 'Xena Sama has a lot to deal with; saving Japa and now this. It's understandable that she is distressed over what has happened to Gabrielle San. I'll say a prayer for Amaterasu to protect the Little Water Dragoon, wherever she is.'

After Kenji's exit, Harukata gave his full attention to Gabrielle's duplicate, and when she commenced standing up, bending her head in a bow, Harukata was astonished. "You may sit. Bowing isn't necessary."

She acceded, sitting down.

"Might be absurd to ask, but how are you?"

Ri admitted, "In all honesty, I'm distraught, but thank you for asking, sir."

Harukata was disarmed by Ri's politeness and formality. "You can call me Shogun, and do not be alarmed, I promise nobody is going to hurt you. Okay?"

Ri took a hasty peek at Xena, praying that Harukata's pronouncement were definitely true for the tall woman. Ratiocination of Xena's earlier menace, terrified the former Handmaiden, but she was also inexplicably allured by her.

'Hopefully she won't hurt me just like Milady never have.' Ri pondered, slowly nodding in assent to the Shogun's declaration.

"Where are you from and how old are you?" Harukata started off, causing Xena to become disgruntled because she wanted to be the interrogator.

"I come from Corinth..." Ri teetered, not truly wanting to impart too much of her obscured life. "I... I have no notion of where I was born, Shogun... I'm sorry. But I'm eighteen-winter-seasons."

"It's alright." Harukata was totally taken with her personality. "So, you come from Corinth, Ri Kun?"

'Why is he calling me Ri Kun?' The storyteller was curious. "Yes, the Corinthian castle is where I resided. I fell asleep in my chamber and awoke inside this room."

"Do you know how you ended up here?" He queried.

"Yes, Shogun." Ri affirmed, lifting the necklace that rested around her throat. "This is the causation."

The Shogun observed the glimmering jewelry, along with Xena, as she instantly became conscious of the pendent that hung above Ri's chest. Recognizing the spurious gemstone on it, she seized the chain in her hand, startling both Harukata and Ri.

"Where did you get this?" Xena prompted.

Ri's apercu of Xena, coaxed her to feel threatened and fearful while she stuttered, "It... It was given... Given to me... As a... A present."

"A present?" Xena indicated the shard. "Do you know what this is?"

"Yes, Xe..." Ri halted announcing Xena's name in hopes of distancing herself from sounding familiar and less informal with her. "It's what sent me here, madam."

"It is a shard of the Omphalos stone." Xena construed. "Who gave it to you?"

"Milady." Ri uttered.

Memorizing the address Ri had evoked before, Xena got edgy. "Who the hell is this lady you keep speaking of? Are you a Corinthian slave?"

"I am no slave, madam."

"You're no sexual slave, I know that for sure." Xena was sarcastic, remembering their brief romance on the cot. "You seem to have respectful awareness for your betters, so I'm positive you're a servant. Who is it that you serve, Ri?"

Ri echoed the same response, "Milady. I mean, I use to be a Handmaiden to her."

"No more games. Who is Milady?"

"I already told you, madam. It's-"

Xena yanked the platinum chain when the petite female's reply was not what she wanted, making Ri gasp. "Who is she?"

"The Conqueror of the Grecian Empire." Ri cried.

"And who is that?" Xena questioned again.

Ri didn't fathom how to answer Xena's inquiry and griped as the malicious warrior tugged on the necklace once more.

"Stop it, Xena." Harukata demanded. "You are hurting her."

Xena paid no heed to him, gripping the chain tightly. "I want a name, Ri... A real fucking name."

"Xena!" Ri's timorousness burned away and her hackles surged from the ashes, shouting, "You! You're the Lord Conqueror in my world!"

Xena's clutch had faltered on the jewelry from Ri's verification of Gabrielle's presage; the Conqueror was indeed a copy of her. But how could Ri assume that the Warrior Princess was the Conqueror? Other than having the same appearance, the ruler of the Grecian Realm was supposed to be older than Xena. Granted, Gabrielle's cabin didn't have adequate light during twilight, but why would Ri let the Lord of Greece kiss her? Were they lovers? If so, another cognition didn't add up with Xena, causing her vicious darkness to rise again. There was sufficient light to distinguish the cabin, so if Ri slept in her chamber inside a castle, wouldn't she had known the lodging wasn't her room when she'd awoken?

"Why did you allow me to touch and kiss you?" Xena renewed her pull on the radiant ornament and it caused Ri to yelp from the hostile treatment. "You knew damn well this wasn't your chamber."

Tears welled in Ri's eyes, and both fear as well as the jerking motion contributed to making her nauseous. "Please, don't harm me. I... I... Figured this wasn't my chamber, but... I held out faith that... You... You were Milady. Even when it became equivocal, I thought she'd came back from her mission to be with me."

"What mission? Did she go on this mission after giving you the shard?"

The memory of their final Cronus together wouldn't be forgotten by Ri. "The night prior to debarkation on her progress, we travelled to goddess Minerva's temple. Milady gave the necklace to me there."

Xena gave herself over to the dark side that converged on all rational thinking as she forced Ri off of the cot and onto her toes. "Your Conqueror bestowed the Omphalos shard to you so this would happen! She's allied with the goddess who has plotted this!"

"No." Ri whimpered, not believing Xena's frosty accusation for a moment. "Milady... She wouldn't do this... She's a caring person, and... And, she loves me."

"Then you're in on the scheme, too." Seething in dudgeon, Xena released Ri and pushed her on the cot effortlessly before cocking a fist to deliver a punch. "Your lady will condemn my fiancée. It's only fair that I do the same to you."

"No!" Ri pleaded, futilely shielding herself from the impact of Xena's approaching hand.

Shutting her eyes, Ri was surprised that the intended hit didn't come. A few seconds later, she'd opened her greenish blue orbs, seeing that the Shogun hindered Xena from hitting her by grabbing the Warrior Princess' arm.

Xena glimpsed at Harukata, asking, "What do you think you're doing?"

"That's enough, Xena!" He blared. "I promised no one would hurt her, you've making me out to be a liar!"

"We know whose doing this is! The Conqueror is in cohort with her... This Minerva!" Getting aggravated by Harukata's unyielding interference, she elucidated, "Can't you tell Ri reeks of mendacity. Knowing she wasn't in her chamber, she still tried to seduce me. Gabrielle is probably being abused right now and Ri's part of the blame."

Not completely affected by Xena's explanation, Harukata persisted, "I perceive this poor girl is a victim like Gabrielle, Xena. Nothing good will come from you injuring her. Besides, must I remind you that I made Ri a promise. I have to maintain my oath."

'The same Bushido oath you've given me about not letting your Samurai divulge my death to Gabrielle was a lie.' She mentally criticized, coercing her ire to soar. "You're right, Harukata. I just need to take a walk or something... Cool my head."

Xena pretended to cede until he relinquished her arm. Becoming free, she struck the sides of the old man's neck with jabs, effectively applying the pinch.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." Xena taunted while the Shogun buckled to his knees in sheer pain.

Ri's alleviation of fearfulness was short-lived once she watched the scene unfold in horror. She became frightful of the warrior that resembled the woman she cherished as sapphire spheres froze her in place on the cot.

Xena progressed on Ri, growling, "You're next."

To Be Continued...