Mark of Callisto

Gabrielle heard Xena’s low chuckle, and cringed. She knew what that meant.

“Two guys behind you . . .” she began weakly.

“Six behind you!” Xena added triumphantly. Uttering her ululation, she drew her sword, leapt into the air, and spun around so she faced the enemies who had tried to attack her from behind.

Leaving the six for Gabrielle.

With a sigh, she clenched her hands about her staff, and braced herself. Oh, ordinarily six ruffians would have been mild exercise. However these men happened to be the sixth lot of six sorry scoundrels. She took a deep breath and turned around.

No one there. In fact, by the time she’d blinked once or twice, to make sure, there was no one about at all. Well, except Xena who was nudging her in the ribs.

“Must’ve been scared off by my war cry,” she shrugged negligently. Then she winked.

Gabrielle drew herself up and looked hard at Xena.

“You made them up, didn’t you?”

“Huh? Come on, let’s find a place to camp. By a river, preferably. Dunno what Callisto’s done to this body of mine, but it sure doesn’t smell the same.”

She headed off through the scrub, with Gabrielle dogging her heels.

“And Ares said she was taking such good care of it, too.”

“You trust Ares’ words?” Gabrielle asked sarcastically.

“I may well not trust the god of war,” Xena replied thoughtfully. “As for Ares . . .”

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “You can’t be –“ Then she stopped. “You’re trying to change the subject, aren’t you? You did make up those men! Wanted to take on those two all by yourself. . . ”

“Well, you looked tired. I wanted to give you a break, that’s all,” Xena retorted, then caught herself.

“Ah HA! So you did lie to me!”

“It was a white lie,” Xena assured her, pushing through branches and looking about cheerfully. “Here – I knew the river wasn’t far off. Let’s camp here the night.”

“White lie,” Gabrielle muttered under her breath, looking around. Xena had already dumped her things and was in the process of removing her armour.

“Man –“ Now she was flexing her shoulders, stretching out her arms. “It really is good to get back into my own body. I’ve got to have room to move, and Callisto’s kind of on the short side.” She pulled off her leathers, bending down to unlace her boots.

“Funny, though – it feels a bit different, somehow. Like Callisto has left her mark on me. I think my leaps were a bit off today – do you think they were?” she asked, tugging her tunic over her head.

“What’s wrong with being on the short side?” Gabrielle demanded instead, and Xena hesitated. She could answer, or –

She ran, diving into the river.

She sighed with pleasure as the cool water flowed over her. Diving deep down to the rocky bottom of the river, she watched for fish amongst the weeds.

“Come on in, Gabrielle!” she called out finally, surfacing. “It’s great –“

It was then that she noticed the look of horror on her friend’s face.

Xena immediately struck out for shore, looking about desperately for the enemy who seemed to have terrified her friend. But there seemed no one about.

In fact, Gabrielle seemed to be staring directly at her.

She waded out, and approached her friend cautiously.

“Look, I shouldn’t have made that crack about Callisto’s height.”

There was no response. Xena moved forward.

“And telling you there were six guys behind –“

Gabrielle stepped back. Then she pointed.

“What?” Xena asked, turning her head.

“No – no, there,” Gabrielle murmured weakly. “Xena, you were right. Callisto has left a mark, all right. But it’s got nothing to do with your flips.”

Xena craned her head around vainly, but the spot Gabrielle indicated was impossible for her to see.

“So you’re saying she’s left – what? A tattoo?”

Gabrielle nodded, a hand over her mouth. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Come on, Gabrielle. What – it’s like a skull? A severed head?”

Gabrielle shook her head, and Xena saw that she had paled.

“Well, I’m not going to put up with it. There’s got to be some kind of expert – I’m pretty sure Borias got rid of a couple of tattoos after he met me . . .”

“He didn’t get those in Tartarus, though,” Gabrielle pointed out, sitting at least two lengths away from Xena.

“I’ve got to find someone; though you’ve noticed Argo has skivved off again, haven’t you –“

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows, and Xena shrugged uncomfortably.

“Okay, so she probably didn’t want - that sitting on her back!” she snapped, pacing the riverbank. “What is it, Gabrielle? My crimes against Cirrah inscribed really small?”

Gabrielle shook her head again.

“All right, so it would have to be really really small,” Xena admitted, grabbing her tunic finally and slipping it back on. Gabrielle sighed with relief. “This is ridiculous. I guess we could ask Hades for another visit . . .” Finally she slumped to the ground. “Or I could ask Ares for a favour.”

“Favour?” Gabrielle snorted. “You asked for your body back – and he gave it back damaged.”

“I don’t think bringing up the “you break it, you bought it” clause would be a good idea at this time, Gabrielle,” Xena told her. “You’re sure I can’t live with it? I mean, who’s going to see it?”

Gabrielle took a deep breath. “Xena, we’ve stuck by each other through thick and thin; I’ve saved your life, you’ve saved mine – hell, we’ve even kissed once, I think.”

“On the cheek,” Xena added hastily.

“But there’s no way I’m sticking around if - that stays.”

Xena nodded. “Well, there’s just one thing to do, then.”

“ARES!”

A body came hurtling from the sky, landing with a gigantic splash in the river in front of them.

“Ares?” Gabrielle asked cautiously.

“So, are you going to show me?” Ares asked, trying not to seem too eager.

Xena’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t trust me?”

“Sure, sure I trust you,” Ares assured her hastily. “I just have to see what we’re up against, that’s all.”

Xena rolled her eyes, but turned and showed him the tattoo. She expected a laugh, but when she faced him she saw he was even paler than Gabrielle had been.

“Come on. It can’t be that bad, surely. What – has she invoked a curse or something?”

Ares moved back, then shook his head slowly. “I can’t believe that she – even Callisto – would . . .”

“Well – are you going to do anything about it, or –“

“Well, that’s why they sent me back,” he muttered, looking mournfully down at his soaked leathers. “They said, to fix up the mess I made in the first place. I suppose - that is what they’re talking about.”

“So, can you help me?” Xena asked him. “After all, if it wasn’t for you –“

“Look, I think we’d better forget who owes who what, Xena,” Ares said seriously. “Getting rid of that tattoo . . . well, it’s bigger than both of us, isn't it?”

Xena craned her neck fruitlessly, muttering to herself. After all, it wasn't that big. She looked around at Gabrielle, who was making a vain attempt at normality by frying some fish.

“You’d better tell me what it’s all about, Gabrielle,” she told her friend.

Gabrielle patted Xena’s hand sympathetically.

“Oh, Xena. If only it were that simple,” she sighed.

“I’m serious, Gabrielle. If you don’t tell me what’s - there, I’m going to have to use the pinch.”

Gabrielle smiled pityingly. “It would be no use, Xena. It’s indescribable.”

“Aaargh!”

"I've got an idea," Ares looked up, just moments before Xena's fingers darted to Gabrielle's throat. "It's crazy, but it just might work."

"Well, Ares did go down into Tartarus to discuss the matter with Borias personally," Gabrielle pointed out. "I'm sure it would have taken you quite a while to find him, considering the tattoo artist is dead."

"All right, so I forgot I killed him," Xena muttered.

"Still, at least Ares got rid of - it," Gabrielle said, shuddering. "I can't believe he co-operated - without even blackmailing you into taking over the world on his behalf."

"Well, he said he liked some parts of mortality," Xena replied casually, and then stretched out her hands for a moment. "Don't know what he meant."

There was a companionable silence.

"OW!"

"Gabrielle, you've got thirty seconds to tell me . . ."

...h.o.m.e...
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