It was a short time later after Xena, Gabrielle, and Joxer had left Aphrodite's temple, and the trio had made a brief stop along the road as Xena made another flying parchment, much like the one she had made to take down the giant Gareth.

GABRIELLE

It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. The way it dips and curves?

The warrior looked over as Gabrielle walked up beside her.

XENA

The parchment's not supposed to dip and curve. It's supposed to stay still up there.

GABRIELLE

Parchment?

The bard chuckled.

GABRIELLE

Oh no, I was talking about your waist and the way it makes me think of how it's the perfect spot to hold when…

XENA

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The warrior cut Gabrielle off, not paying much attention to what the blonde was saying.

XENA

Look, that clip is supposed to release when you tug on that line. Go on, grab it.

GABRIELLE

Why?

XENA

Would you just do it?

GABRIELLE

(Sighing) Fine.

The blonde reached up to grab the clip that was tied to the flying parchment, only to have it soar higher out of her reach and stopped trying to look at the warrior with a sarcastic smirk on her face.

GABRIELLE

(Sarcasm) Very funny.

You know, I can think of plenty of other things that would involve me stretched out, and out of breath that I'd much rather be doing right now.

XENA

What?

The dark-haired woman eyed the bard for a moment, her words finally registering and catching Xena a bit by surprise by the obvious hints of what the bard clearly had on her mind. Especially since it wasn't just the two of them around, but decided to not address it.

XENA

(Slightly annoyed tone) Gabrielle, just grab the damn line, will ya?

Again Gabrielle jumped to try to grab the string, and again the breeze moved the parchment and the string out of her reach.

GABRIELLE

(Slightly annoyed tone) Xena, if you think I'm gonna waste my time jumping up and down for flying parchment…

XENA

It is not a waste of time. I just…

The warrior was unable to finish her thought when Gabrielle cut in.

GABRIELLE

Oh, I get it.

The blonde smirked as she continued.

GABRIELLE

You're enjoying the show of watching me jump around, aren't you? You do tend to enjoy a little teasing before getting right down to it.

The warrior gave her a blank stare for a moment.

XENA

(Lying) Yeah, sure, that's definitely the reason.

(Thinking to herself) Geez, what's got her so worked up today?

The younger woman smiled.

GABRIELLE

(Seductive tone) Well, I do aim to please.

Gabrielle jumped a couple more times until finally grabbing hold of the string.

GABRIELLE

Got it!

She then began to sensually run her free hand up her body until she reached and lightly cupped one of her breasts.

GABRIELLE

(Seductive tone) Now, what?

Suddenly, the flying parchment dropped from the sky, landing on top of the bard and knocking her to the ground.

XENA

Mmm, still needs some minor adjustments.

Walking over to where Gabrielle was laid out, Xena picked up the kite and began to examine it.

XENA

I guess I can just make 'em up at the lake.

Gabrielle sat up.

GABRIELLE

Yeah, I guess being in water probably would make doing some of that stuff a lot easier.

The bard looked around for a moment.

GABRIELLE

Hey, where's Joxer?

XENA

Over there.

The raven-haired woman pointed toward a fallen tree, and Gabrielle's eyes followed to see Joxer crouched beside it as the man picked up a stick and put it into a small hole in the wood.

GABRIELLE

What's he doing?

The young woman continued to watch the man as, after a moment, he pulled the stick back out to find a large insect attached to the other end.

JOXER

Mmm. Bug.

Then in one swift motion, Joxer took the bug off the stick, tilted his head back, and dropped the insect into his open mouth, causing Gabrielle to gag in response.

GABRIELLE

That is so disgusting.

Not wanting to continue to watch Joxer eat his lunch of the small creepy, crawlers, Gabrielle turned her focus back to Xena.

GABRIELLE

Xena, I think there's something wrong with Joxer. He's been acting very strange. Maybe we should be seen in public with him.

XENA

He's acting strange because something happened to him at the temple. I had to guess, I'd say this is Aphrodite's doing. She probably put some kind of spell on him. And now he's obsessed with that ape-man story.

GABRIELLE

Huh, I guess that would certainly explain it.

The bard looked back toward Joxer for a moment as he sat still crouched, picking through his hair for any more bugs while making a series of ape-like grunts.

XENA

You know, you've got the obsession thing, too.

GABRIELLE

What?

The blonde's focus returned to Xena as the warrior continued trying to keep her flying parchment airborne.

XENA

Ooh, yeah.

Gabrielle scoffed before letting out a small chuckle.

GABRIELLE

That's ridiculous.

Xena eyed the younger woman, who began to run her fingertips along the warrior's arm

XENA

Is it?

GABRIELLE

(Sarcasm) Okay, Xena, I'll play along,

(Seductive tone) Then maybe after we can do a different kind of playing, Xena. You know, I have some new ideas I wanna try that I think you might like.

She leaned closer to the dark-haired woman as her hand sensually glided to Xena's midsection.

GABRIELLE

(Seductive tone) But please, tell me, what am I supposedly obsessed with?

XENA

Sex.

Gabrielle chuckled at the thought.

GABRIELLE

That's ridiculous, Xena. If I were to say which of either of us was "obsessed"…

The bard used her fingers to mimic air quotes as she continued.

GABRIELLE

with sex, it would be you.

The warrior raised an eyebrow.

XENA

Oh, really?

She smirked as the bard's hand fell back on her.

XENA

Because if your hand goes any lower, Joxer's gonna get quite an eyeful.

The bard lowered her eyes to realize that she had placed her hand right over the front of the other woman's skirt and against her groin. Suddenly feeling incredibly embarrassed, Gabrielle quickly took her hand away as she for the first time took note of the images from the temple that had seemed to become burned into her mind.

GABRIELLE

All right. So maybe you're right. I just can't seem to stop thinking about that mural from Aphrodite's temple. But, if we're all obsessed with something,

what about you? What are you obsessed with?

Xena shrugged.

XENA

Well, that's the good news. For whatever reason, I don't seem to have been affected by the spell. So even though the two of you are distracted, I can still take care of business.

The warrior gathered her kite under her arm as she continued and began walking away.

XENA

Now, let's fish.

TO BE CONTINUED…