Author’s Note: Response to the following challenge, as posted at Shipper Talk: The challenge: We're pre-twilight, Eve isn't born yet. Xena (and of course Gabby) have just rid the world of Dahak and things are more or less back to how they were before. As for our Olympian 'traitor' Ares, Zeus has decided he has to put his divine powers to the good of humanity for 24 hours. (as his punishment) To make sure Ares does as he's told, Zeus has appointed Xena and Gabby to keep an eye on things. With other words, Zeus had given Ares (and his powers) to Xena for 24 hours. Okay, finish the boring disclaimers and stuff and READ!
Dedications: Still the same people it’s always been dedicated to. Especially to Illy, LK, Tali, Tango, Rissy, Kat, and everyone who I still see online, as that’s not many anymore.
Summary: A Shipper Talk challenge reply: Xena gets direct control over Ares and his powers for a whole day, to use for the Greater Good as she sees fit.
Rated: PG
Date Started/Finished: June 13, 2006
Quiet Beginnings
By Delenn
When the God of War came tumbling down at her feet, hands chained behind his back, glower on his face, and a piece of parchment attached to his vest reading Xena, really, Xena couldn't do anything but stare.
It was actually Gabrielle who reached down and grabbed the parchment, while Xena finally snapped out of her reverie long enough to help a cursing Ares out of his bonds.
While Ares was dusting himself off from his fall out of the sky and Gabrielle was reading, Xena asked warily, "What happened?"
Ares shook his head bitterly, if a little sheepishly, "I'm being punished by Daddy Dearest."
It was at that point that Xena knew she was going to have to read the letter for herself, which she promptly did when Gabrielle, dumbfounded, handed it over. After scanning it quickly, with a careful note of Zeus' signature and no-nonsense tone, Xena sighed. "And things were just getting back to normal without you around."
Still looking rather grouchy, Ares shrugged. "Yeah, well, it took Zeus a while to figure out what he was going to do with me."
"So that's why it's been so quiet," Xena wasn't entirely cruel in this, but Ares remained silent, confirming her suspicions.
There was an awkward silence between the three, not much having been forgotten from recent events.
With a glance between the parchment folded up in her hand and the morose God of War in front of her, Xena finally mustered up something other than silence and resentment. "Did he tell you about this?"
"That I have to play your little hero game for the day, or else?"
Xena shook her head. "And I assume the or else is something significantly more unpleasant."
"Oh, yeah. Athena's got a hand in that one."
Gabrielle piped in, "You know, Ares, maybe if you put a bit more time into cultivating a relationship with your family, they wouldn't plan such vicious tortures for you. Oh, wait, I forgot - you're too busy plotting their untimely demise."
"Gabrielle," Xena hissed unnecessarily, for the little bard was already looking contrite, if smug.
There were enough retorts he could have made, but none of them would have done anything other than result in Xena forcing him into something nasty. "I'm not here to rehash the past, Blondie. We all have our…" he glanced pointedly at Xena, "regrets. I'm here to pay my debt to society."
"And I get to baby-sit," Xena sighed again, one hand irritably tapping her fingers against the smooth metal of her chakram. "I assume this isn't open to appeal?"
Ares shook his head. "Dad figured you'd be ideally suited to the task."
"I don't like playing in other people's games." Xena sat firmly on the ground, having had her say, and drew out her sword to sharpen.
Both Gabrielle and Ares regarded the Warrior Princess for a moment, awaiting a further response. When none was forthcoming, Ares sank to the ground nearby, anxious to avoid having to save kittens and puppies from the clutches of some evil warlord. Gabrielle went back to the meal she had been preparing, before being so rudely interrupted, with her pursed lips the only sign of her unease.
It wasn't until Gabrielle headed toward a nearby stream to fetch more water that the silence was broken.
Uneasily, Ares joked, "What, run out of embarrassing things you could make me do?"
Setting down her sword, Xena looked up, her clear gaze focusing on Ares'. "Anything you do today, you'll just recant tomorrow." She cut off his protest with a wave of her hand, "It doesn't matter about Zeus' rules. You're not becoming a better person, Ares - you're avoiding a harsher sentence."
"I tried, Xena… I tried to warn you-"
"The past is done with," Xena's eyes were cold now, angry with herself for not listening to his warnings about Dahak and angry with him for failing to follow through. And really, really angry with Zeus for imposing this ridiculous punishment on all of them.
Ares regarded her cold, sad eyes for a moment. The taut anger in her posture. "What if I were to put my powers to good use, not for Zeus, not for Olympus or the people, but for you?"
Gabrielle's soft footsteps treading back to the camp broke their stare, and the forest lapsed back into silence.
If, at the end of twenty-four candle marks, when Zeus himself came to collect his wayward son, there were still crying babies and harassed kittens waiting to be rescued by godly powers, nothing was said.
Xena handed over the chains and parchment with a sneer of, "Next time, leave me out of your punishments."
Glancing at his downcast son, Zeus bellowed, "Did you learn your lessons?"
"The important ones." Ares caught Xena's eyes and brown held blue still for a moment, until the air crackled and the gods disappeared back to duties and family squabbles.
Punishment over, betrayal forgiven as had been so many others.
Gabrielle glanced at her friend, still staring at the spot where Ares had been. "I still think you should have made him do something really out of character, like dedicating a temple to peace, or something." She shook her head good-naturedly, "Seems like he managed to get off the hook again."
"Gabrielle," Xena chastised lightly, tearing her eyes away to focus on the bard, "That's not the point."
"Still, it'll be nice for things to get back to normal. Ares without insults was a little much."
Xena laughed.
Almost a full moon later, Xena was startled out of a restless sleep to find the village she was passing through up in an impromptu, joyous festival. Leaving Gabrielle to sleep through the noise, Xena wandered downstairs to inquire as to the commotion.
The God of War had quelled the ambitions of a local warlord, seeking tribute from the town, and had sent home the village boys who had been unfairly forced into service. It was a miracle, a blessing from the gods to protect their village. It was out of character.
Feeling a distinct chill brush against her spine, Xena smirked.
It was a start.
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