TIME TRAVEL- A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
BY: AMAZON MOON
Disclaimer:
==========
Xena, Gabby and gang belong to MCA, yadda, yadda, but the entire
story plot and certain characters are MINE! No intentions of infringements
of copyrights or whatsoever here. No dinars are made anyway, so don't sue me
... I'm broke enough as it is. ;) This story is of Alt. kind so if it icks
you out for any absurd reason, don't read it. I'm not begging you to. And one
more thing folks, it has the J-man (yeah, he of the kitchen wear) inside.
Fasten your seat-belts, everyone, as I take you on a (bumpy?) ride
to the past from the present. Bring your puke bags if you tend to get motion
sickness while travelling... don't want any complaints now do I? And if you
feel you need insurence, come and buy 'em from me. <g>
It's quite essential that readers have read both The Assassin and
Death Of The Ex-Assassin, earlier stories written by me, to fully understand
what is happening in this story. If you haven't read 'em both, I advice you
to STOP now and read 'em first. Then you can come back later and fully enjoy
this story of pure ficton with a nice warm mug of hot chocolate.
This one's for all my readers... thank you all for being so nice.
Keep all comments coming in at amazon_moon@yahoo.com. I look forward to
hearing from you, be it what you liked/disliked or just to say HI to a
fellow Xenite! Okay then, I should end my crapping and just let you unto my
latest baby. And as they always say on radio, pleasant viewing...
Amazon Moon 1998 C.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIME TRAVEL- A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
===================================================
[Somewhere in our past, Ancient Greece...]
Joxer stood before the grave of the deceased Kristabelle, a
small bouquet of fresh flowers in hand. It had been a year since she was
killed, on the eve of their wedding day. It had been a tragic one, and it
took him a long while to fully get over it. He still remembered her, how
could her memory ever escape him?
Chriss lay buried in the yard behind the house they had meant to
live in together after the wedding. Joxer still kept the house although he
hardly lived it in. To him, it held the happy memories he had with her, it
contained her spirit. Something he could not let go.
It was her death anniversary that day and both Xena and Gabrielle
had promised to come visit. Joxer still carried the small pouch containing
Chriss' red hair and the ring which he never took off. He was trying his best
to be strong but inside, he knew he was weak.
Squatting down, he gently placed the flowers down and sighed. Tears
misting his eyes, he smiled bitterly as he reached for a piece of written
parchment in his pocket.
"I've got something for you," Joxer spoke as he unfolded the crumpled
piece of paper,"I wrote it myself... I'm no bard like your cousin Gabby but
like I've told you before Chriss, Mom did make me take music lessons when I
was younger." Joxer chuckled slightly before clearing his throat.
"The dreams I have are unrepeatable
and you always play a starring role
I'm just glad to have the time with you
it's the only place where we can go.
I walk around the next day in a daze,
flashes of a feeling of your face
your hair, a ring and my memories
are all I have to fill this space.
Now you've gone, but I keep missing you.
Sometimes I laugh the way you used to laugh
or say the things you used to say
If you can see me now,
just give me a sign
'Cos I can't believe you've really gone away."
Joxer felt a dampness on his cheeks. Damn the gods, he was crying.
He missed Chriss a lot, it had been a long while since he had last seen or
had her visit him in his dreams. It had been so long...
"Chriss, if you're out there... somewhere," Joxer trembled with
emotion,"...send me a message, will ya?"
****************************************************************************
[Somewhere in the present...]
Quinn Rufus, a college student doing a major in anthropology and
Greek-Roman mythology was juggling her social life as well as work. She was
an orphan; her parents and dog had died two years back in a car accident. She
had been at a camp at that time and was devasted by the news when she got back.
She had no known relatives and was left all alone in the great, wide world.
Her parents left her money, sure, but that was meant for her university
education. The rest, she had to work for. So she started giving tuition to the
kids living in nearby blocks and babysat on weekends. She also wrote some
short stories for magazines and newspapers to be published for cash during
the free time she rarely had.
Quinn was attractive, being a popular cheer-leader in High School.
She was a gorgeous red-head with her short hair fashionably layered. She had
beautiful blue eyes which many guys (and some girls) were crazy over. She
was considered slight, standing a little over 5"3.
It was nearly eleven in the evening and she had just came from her
boyfriend's place. It was her birthday today and they had celebrated it over
at his place. Teddy Evans, Quinn's boyfriend, was talented in the music field,
having taken piano and violin lessons since he was three. But he wanted to
"challenge himself in the sporting field" too.
Teddy tried out for the Quarter-Back position for the college's
football team a week ago. He was a skinny man and did not seem to have much
muscle mass. But what Quinn adored about him was his wit and humour. He was
the good sort too. Klutzy but reliable.
Anyway, in the end of it all, Teddy did not make it to the team.
Instead, he made it to the local hospital with a broken foot, a twisted arm,
a fractured wrist and a broken nose. Not to mention multiple bruises. So
they spent Quinn's birthday over at his place, with him immobile on his bed,
his limbs in plaster and face swabbed in bandages. Quinn had to feed him
cake. He gave her a Blade t-shirt, from the movie about vampires starring
Wesley Snipes. She was wearing it now, it was cool.
Standing infront of her apartment door, Quinn held her textbooks in
one hand as she groped for her bunch of keys in her pocket with the other.
After her folks had perished in the tragic car accidient, she had no where
to live. And she couldn't touch the money they left specifically for her
education.
It was a blessing that one of her best friends, Melanie, offered her
her appartment. Melanie was an independent working woman and she stayed with
her mother a few blocks away. She left Quinn the house. Quinn was eternally
grateful. She didn't even have to pay rent.
Quinn finally suceeded in finding her keys and upon unlocking, she
swung the door open. Dumping her heavy books onto the table nearby, she hit
the lights as she proceeded to take off her coat.
"SURPRISE!!!" Two gleeful figures popped into view, startling her.
The whole living room had been artfully decorated with colourful birthday
streamers. A birthday cake and someone's XO was on the table.
"Guys!" Quinn squealed happily as she rushed to engulf her two buddies
in a bearhug,"This is like, wow! It's fantastic... thank you!" The two friends
of hers were Melanie, the friend who gave her the apartment, and Jimmy, her
childhood friend who also shared the same anthropology class as her in the
University.
"Do you like it?" Mel asked her friend as she lead Quinn to her
birthday cake,"Jim and I spent a lot of time and energy into it."
"Like it?" Quinn giggled, her eyes sparkling,"...I like, *love* it!"
They cut the cake and had their small party with a video marathon.
Jimmy had swiped his Dad's bottle of X.O. and had made an intersting concoction
of X.O. and Coke. He'd put 3 parts of Coke to 1 part of the alcohol. It tasted
great.
"This is for you, Quinn," Jimmy grinned as he passed her a bulky
parcel. Jimmy was like the elder brother she never had and they had been
together since they were six. Jimmy didn't understand what Quinn saw in
Teddy but respected her decision anyway.
"What is this?" Quinn asked as she shook the box slightly. Ripping
off the paper, she opened the box and took out a figurine of a warrior woman
in black leather, complete with a metal breastplate, sword, whip, breast
dagger and an infamous round killing thingy.
"Like, whoa!" Quinn held the birthday present proudly as she admired the
works," It's Xena- Jimmy..."
"Yeah, I made it myself," Jimmy grinned as he received the sisterly
peck on the cheek,"...since I knew how interested you were over the infamous
warrior princess from Ancient Greece."
They were now discussing about Xena, one of the best-known Greek
heroines in history during class. Quinn had been extremely enthusiastic
during the lectures, very interested over the warrior princess and her bard.
Jimmy shared her enthusiasm too but not as much. He prefered Hercules.
"It looks cool," Melanie agreed,"...nice handiwork." She passed a
colourfully wrapped package to Quinn,"Open it, I know you'll love it."
Upon unwrapping it, Quinn discovered Mel had gotten her the book she
had been saving up for, about New Age Meditation. She had seen it at Borders
when she was with Melanie and wanted to get it very much, only thing was that
she would only be getting her paycheck next month.
"You guys are like, SO good to me," Quinn hugged Mel, touched,"...what
would I like, ever do without you guys?"
The threesome partied on and downed most of Jimmy's Dad's X.O. Quinn
didn't feel like drinking much that night, she was too excitied. After a
while, Quinn realised her two friends had dozed off while watching "Mermaids".
Must have been fatigue and the alcohol, she decided. Switching off the
television, Quinn gathered her presents and headed to the privacy of her
room.
She sat on the floor cross-legged, lotus fashion and flipped through
the book Mel had got for her. Checking her watch, she saw that it was ten
minutes to midnight but she still felt fresh and awake. She decided to try
some of the techniques the book said.
"Right, first you like, need to concentrate... focus on something,"
Quinn spoke to herself,"...focus on something... ahah!" She reached out for
the figurine Jimmy made and placed it infront of her. She would concentrate
on it.
Positioned in meditative state, Quinn started to focus and concentrate
on the figurine with her "third eye". Slowly, she felt herself enter a realm
of peace. She was sitting in a void of silence, with greenery all around.
Suddenly however, a huge vortex appeared infront of her, a huge energy force
trying to suck her in.
Quinn's eyes widden in terror as she got sucked into the hole, into
another realm... of the unknown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Ancient Greece]
Gabrielle tightened her grip on her staff, a splinter of fear in her
eyes. A big burly thug probably eight feet in height stood before her, a
mean blade in his hands. His arms were heavily tatooed and he was extremly
well built. Gabrielle knew from what Xena told her, that the weakest point
of a huge man was his head. Strike it and he would fall... only thing was,
how was she even going to strike? This guy was almost the size of a giant.
The thug grinned evilly at her, showing her his foul, yellow, rotten
teeth. He licked his lips, his glazed eyes wolfish. He eyed the bard up and
down, as if undressing her with his eyes. Slimy looking drool started to form
at the side of his twisted mouth.
Gabrielle wished Xena was here... but she was in another town some
three miles away with some business to attend to. She was to meet her at
Joxer's place for Chriss' first year death anniversary. She swallowed,
wondering if she should try her best to make a run for it. She had been
travelling on the road to Phonecia when she *had* to meet this creep.
"Hello, Beautiful," the thug leered as he reached out to touch her
but Gabrielle thacked his gigantic hairy hand with her staff before he could.
He reacted quickly and with a sudden force, jerked her stick out of her hands
and tossed it behind him as if it was a mere toothpick. He chortled as he
shook his head sadistically.
He was just about to lay his sweaty hands on her when Gabrielle
noticed an odd looking vortex appear just above his head. Before he could do
anything, something... or someone dropped from the hole above and landed
with its full weight on his head. The bully broke his neck and dropped dead,
his eyes wide open and his thick leathery tongue sticking out of his mouth.
The figure from the sky lay in a heap on top of him, groaning in pain.
She was dressed in wierd clothes... didn't seem to be from around here,
Gabrielle noted. She must be a fairy or a new god of some kind. A protector of
bards, maybe?
Gabrielle tapped the red-head on the shoulder,"Thanks for saving me,
that guy was a creep... are you okay?" The girl turned her head around and
grimaced, nodding her head slightly as she struggled to get off the man she
landed upon.
It was then when Gabrielle saw her saviour's face. It was Chriss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quinn found herself sucked through the vortex and she travelled down
the channel, wondering where it would take her. What was going on, she had
no idea but a part of her wanted to find out where it would lead her to.
After being tossed through the tunnel, she saw an opening up ahead.
It was the way out, she realised. Whatever force that brought her into the
vortex wanted here there.
Quinn then went through the opening and before she knew what was
happened, she landed on some huge guy who seemed to be threatening a young,
defenseless lady. She landed on his head and heard a breaking sound as she
fell to the ground, on top of him. She felt her something graze her butt and
felt a slight pain. What had hit her, she had no idea. In fact, she had no
clue either, to where she was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Chriss?" Gabrielle whispered as she helped the girl who looked so
much like her cousin up to her feet,"Is it you?" It was amazing... this girl,
was SO much like her cousin but Chriss had been dead for over a year. So how..?
"You like, speak Greek?" Quinn asked the bard as she tucked a stray
lock of red hair behind her ear. She had no problem with the Greek language.
In fact, she had topped her class for both Greek and Chinese in school.
Gabrielle blinked,"Yea-ah, this is Greece."
"Greece?" Quinn breathed, her blue eyes widening with wonder. She
eyed the blonde's clothes and studied their surroundings as they walked away
from the dead guy,"Like, which era?" Quinn shook her head as if she was in a
daze,"And like, what the hell am I doing here? Who- who are you?"
Gabrielle realised the girl couldn't have been her cousin. She was
lost and confused, the poor thing. She sounded like Chriss but she didn't
speak like Chriss at all. Gabrielle realised the girl was hurt too, a thin
streak of blood was on her behind, staining her white slacks.
"My name is Gabrielle. What's yours?" the bard asked as she studied
her face. The resembalance was uncanny to the extreme.
"Quinn," the redhead smiled warmly as she shook her hand,"...like,
good to meet ya." She suddenly stumbled.
"You're hurt," Gabrielle pointed out. She handed the girl her staff,
"Here, use this- my friend's house is just up ahead... I'll help you with
your wound and we can talk."
Quinn decided it was a good idea. Besides, the blondie looked
trustable. She just hoped she wouldn't need any stitches.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Here we are," Gabrielle warmly announced as she lead the girl into
Joxer's house. "Joxer," the bard called out as she lead her to a chair,"I've
brought a friend."
Quinn admired the house, it looked homely and nice to live in... just
that it had this inexplainable feeling of emptyness within. It was wierd but
she felt a sudden sense of deja vu in the pits of her stomach. She noticed a
lanky man wearing kitchen wear (or so she thought) emerge from the back of
the house. She squinted at him... he looked an awful lot like Teddy. Sorta.
"Joxer, I-," Gabrielle had bearly finished her sentence when Joxer
stopped short and stared with his mouth agape at the girl Gabrielle had
brought home.
Joxer saw the words on her shirt. Blade. Chriss was called "Young
Blade" by some during her stint as an assassin. Joxer gulped. Could it really
be? "Chriss?" Joxer whispered as he rushed up to the startled redhead," ...is
it really you?"
"Joxer, wait," Gabrielle stopped him,"She isn't Chriss..."
"No?" Joxer studied her face then realised his mistake. He backed
away and apologised,"Sorry... it's just that you... you remind me very much
of someone I once knew." But it was uncanny... if she had longer hair and
green eyes, she would've passed of as the ex-assassin.
Quinn blinked. Chriss. That name sounded awfully familiar but she
had no explaination why. But the two had called her by that name the first
time they saw her. Why?
"My name is Quinn," Quinn introduced herself,"And I like, come from
... another world, a different time... a different place. I've no idea like,
how I got here, would any of you like, have a clue why-"
Quinn stopped short when she noticed that someone had entered the
room. She gasped in awe at her impressive stature and impressive biceps. She
wore her armour well, one of leather and that metal-plate... her chakram lay
by her side, on her hip. It had to be her.
"Xe.. Xena?" Quinn whispered as the two made way for the warrior
princess. It took Quinn ten seconds to realise that she was gaping with her
mouth wide open. She closed it immediately.
The warrior princess stood before her, an unreadable expression on
her face. Her eyes were a pale blue, a shade lighter than the usual Quinn
usually saw. Xena had an impressive mane of raven hair. The last time Quinn
felt like what she was feeling now was when she personally saw her favourite
actress Winona Ryder in the flesh for the very first time.
"You're not Kristabelle?" Xena questioned.
Quinn shook her head mutely.
"Who are you?" the warrior asked, her cold blue eyes narrowed to slits.
"Are you sent by Ares?"
Quinn shook her head, transfixed by the sight of her biggest hero
standing infront of her.
"Are you a god?" Xena pressed further, eyebrows knitted.
Quinn shook her head again, her eyes stuck on the warrior woman's face.
"Then who in bloddy Tartarus are you?" Xena demanded. Couldn't the
kid speak? She was on the brink of using her personal "I've-stopped-the-flow
-of blood-to-your-brain" touch on the girl when Gabrielle stopped her.
Quinn just stared on, speechless.
"Her name's Quinn," Gabrielle stroked Xena's arm, soothing her.
Quinn nodded her head, still transfixed. Gabrielle cleared her
throat. "She kinda saved me from a bully on the way here," the bard told her
partner,"...she fell from the sky, unto his head-"
"That would explain the dead guy I saw on the way here," Xena returned
Gabrielle's gaze. She put her hand around her waist, temporarily forgetting
Quinn and Joxer's presence. "Gabrielle, are you okay? That man was a well-known
rapist."
Quinn's head swam... so she was *that* Gabrielle! This was like, SO
cool, being in ancient Greece and in the company of her heroes. WOW!
"Yeah, I am," Gabrielle turned her head to Quinn, who was slowly
starting to get out of her star-struck daze,"...but Quinn got hurt. I think
my attacker's sword scraped her butt when she landed on him."
Quinn shrugged,"It's like, nothing serious." She was slowly getting
out of the daze.
"Xena knows medical stuff," Joxer chipped in,"...why not let her see
how bad it is?"
"Yeah, I know... it's like, one of her 'many skills', huh?" Quinn
grinned. Xena and Gabrielle exchanged glances in the corner of her eye. Quinn
agreed to, although a little shy. She was lead to a room while Joxer got some
clean water.
Quinn had a chilly feeling when she entered the room. As she lay on
the bed, she had this gut feeling like it was as if she had been there
before... but it couldn't have been possible unless...
"Tell me like, who's Chriss?" Quinn questioned as Xena and Gabrielle
tended to the wound,"...and why did you guys like, call me that?"
Gabrielle was about to answer her when she saw Quinn's butt. She
gasped instead. Both she and Xena exchanged glances before looking at it
again. That got Quinn a bit worried.
"Hey, like, is everything okay? What's wrong? Is it like, serious or
something?" She was worried now, it didn't sound good. Did it like, turn
septic or something?
"No, it isn't serious," Xena said as she washed the wound made by
the guy's blade,"It's just a scrape, nothing to worry about." The reason why
Gabrielle had gasped was because Quinn had a birthmark similiar to the one
Chriss had- and on the same place too! But it couldn't be... Chriss had no
desendents.
"So like, what was the gasp for?" Quinn winced as Xena applied the
herbal medication on the slight wound.
"Nothing," the two said together. Quinn knew something was up. But
what? She realised they had not answered her questions. Before she could
ask again however, Xena said she was done. It might leave a scar, but it
would be small. Quinn zipped up her jeans and left the room. It still hurt,
but only a bit.
She was looking out of a window into the backyard when she saw
something that made her heart miss a beat. There it was, a lone grave with
fragrant flowers freshly laid upon it. And there was the name they had been
calling her- "CHRISS".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Okay, like, who the hell is this Chriss person?" Quinn demanded as she
faced the three thoughtful souls infront of her. She knew she was being rude,
but she had to know. She had to find out. "Why do you like, keep calling me Chriss
when Chriss lies in the backyard?" She sucked in a breath and willed herself
to remain calm.
"Chriss is my cousin," Gabrielle spoke, a sad smile on her lips,"Her
real name was Kristabelle. She died last year, killed in this very house- in
the very room and on the very bed you were on just now... by one of Callisto's
men. On the eve of her wedding."
"We were going to get married," Joxer continued, a weary look
starting to show on his features,"...it was tragic." He swallowed a lump
down his throat,"And she... looked alot like you."
"She had the same red hair you have, just that she had it longer...
she was of the same size, same built... same face,"Gabrielle choked, her
emotions getting the better of her.
"But instead of blue eyes, she had green ones," Xena finished,"very
much like Gabrielle's."
It suddenly hit Quinn. If she wasn't such a New Age bluff she
would've laughed it off. But it had to be the only possible explaination.
She cleared her throat,"Guys, if this is true, I think I'm like, Kristabelle's
reincarate or something... it kinda makes sense, sorta."
"Re-what?" Gabrielle blinked. The others stared blankly, waiting for
her to explain the term.
"Reincarnation's like, the idea that the soul or spirit of a dead
person is born again into a new and different person," Quinn explained, her
hands throwing dramatic gestures,"So like, maybe I used to be this Kristabelle
chick, I mean, your friend in my last life." Quinn thanked the stars that at
least she was human in her last life.
"But you don't have her eyes," Xena pointed out again,"...they were
green, not blue."
"Oh that," Quinn grinned as she turned away from them. After removing
her coloured contact lens, she turned to face them. "Better?"
"Whoa!" Joxer jumped behind Gabrielle, quaking,"She changed her eye
colour!"
"What are you? A god or something?" Gabrielle questioned Quinn, her
hand on Xena's arm. She looked startled.
"Nope, I'm like, definately mortal," Quinn replied as she showed them her
contacts,"I just wear these coloured contacts to change my eye colour. I'd
always wanted blue eyes." Like Xena's, Quinn thought mutely.
Xena picked one up and examined it,"What's it made of?"
"I dunno," Quinn shrugged as they studied her contacts,"...glass
maybe?" Gabrielle was in the midst of trying to drop one into an eyeball
when she stopped short. She looked at Quinn as if she were crazy,"You mean
you put glass pieces into your eyes?"
"Well, it's not like your ordinary kinda glass," Quinn pointed out as she
took back her contacts and put them away. She couldn't possibly describe to
them what plastic was could she?
"Tell us more about... about you, Chr... Quinn," Joxer stuttered. He
was unconscously toying with the ring around his finger. His wedding band.
"How did you know about Xena?" Gabrielle asked,"...did you hear about her
heroic deeds from where you came from?"
"Well, I'm doing a degree in anthropology," Quinn started,"...that's
like, the study of things from the Old World...this world... and you two-
Xena and Gabs, well, you guys like, happen to be in the text. You guys have
been listed as like, one of the bestest heroes in Ancient Greece."
"How about me- Joxer the Mighty?" Joxer asked hopefully.
Quinn smiled as she shook her head,"Sorry to like, disappoint. No."
Joxer whined. He was so much like Teddy, looks and all. Could Teddy have
been his recarnate? Quinn mused.
"Quinn, what were you in the midst of doing before you came here?"
Xena asked, hands folded across her chest as she leaned against the wall.
"I was like, meditating... on this figurine of you my friend Jimmy made
for my birthday today," Quinn paused and looked at her watch. Strange. It
was still ten minutes to midnight,"... and the next thing I knew, was like,
I got sucked through another realm by this vortex into this world."
There was a silence for awhile before Joxer spoke up,"I asked Chriss
to show me a sign today. And she did. I think she sent you, Quinn."
Quinn was quiet for awhile, as if thinking. She finally nodded her
head,"Yeah, that would like, explain things... I was her in my past life. My
coming was the Sign."
"But how are you gonna get back?" Gabrielle questioned.
"My guess is like, that after the end of today, I will be sent back
home," Quinn figured,"...probably by the vortex that brought me here in the
first place. At least that's like, how I think." Now where did that come from?
The words had just tumbled out from her mouth.
Somebody's stomach rumbled. Everyone turned to face the bard.
Gabrielle's face turned pink and she apologised."Sorry, I get like this when
I'm hungry... haven't had breakfast yet."
Joxer grinned before heading into the kitchen,"Well settle down, I'll
go get our lunch." He didn't take long. He came back with basketfulls of goose
eggs, ham and freshly baked nutbread. He had some cider and port with him too.
"Goose eggs! They're like, my favourite!" Quinn cried as she dug in.
She didn't realise how famished she had been. She practically wolfed down
most of the nutbread. They were SO good.
"Same old, same old," Gabrielle smiled fondly,"Chriss was nuts about
goose eggs and nutbread too."
Joxer smiled weakly as he offered Quinn some ham. He didn't want her
to leave so soon... couldn't she stay?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[We interrupt the story with a commercial break]
Are you bored? Is your phone broken, your jogging suit's in the wash
or the television blown up? If you've got free time on your hands, why not
come on down to view the Xenites Anonymous homepage? It can be located at
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Sands/8775. It's still a bit empty but
it's still worth a look anyway! :) Do sign the guestbook before you leave,
thanx a bunch. And in the meantime, battle on Xeeeeeeeeeeenites!!
[And now, back to our story...]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was after lunch when Quinn came across a book sticking out of a
bag. She picked it up and realised it was the Tao Te Ching. It seemed to be
the original copy, neatly handwritten in an ancient Chinese script. What was
it like, doing here in Greece? Quinn wondered.
"That's mine," Xena said, startling the redhead as she took the book
away possively.
"Sorry," Quinn apologised,"...but I was wondering, what's that book
doing with you? Like, wasn't it written by Lao Tzu of China?"
"No," Xena lightened up a notch, sorry she had startled the girl,"...
it was written by Lao Ma, wife of Lao Tzu. She and I... we go back a long time."
"Do you... do you know how to read it?" Quinn asked as she tucked a
stray lock of her red hair behind her ear,"Would you like me to read it to
you?"
The warrior princess looked grateful, suddenly the stoic warrior was
gone and Quinn could see the uncertain child behind those baby blues. "Would
you?" Xena swallowed a hard lump in her throat as she passed the precious
book written by her beloved mentor over to the girl.
"I could like, try," Quinn smiled as she took the book from her,
opening it randomly. She glanced at the page she had opened and after reading
through once, she started translating.
"The Utility Of Non-Existence:
Through thirty spokes may form the wheel,
it is the hole within the hub
which gives the wheel utility.
It is not the clay the potter throws,
which gives the pot it's usefulness,
but the space within the shape,
from which the pot is made.
Without a door, the room cannot be entered,
and without windows, it is dark.
Such is the utility of non-existence."
Quinn stopped and handed the book back to Xena. The warrior princess
thanked her as she took the book. She walked away quietly, the thick book
pressed to her chest, as if deep in thought. Quinn wasn't surprised either.
The stuff was heavy to digest and besides, maybe Xena was remembering the
time she was in the Kingdom of Lao.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time seemed to pass by fast. It was nearly evening. Quinn decided her
watch must have stopped for the time still remained as ten minutes to twelve.
She had to get new batteries when she got home. She had spent a great deal
of time talking with the bard. Gabrielle was SO amazing, she like, even got
to met Homer in the flesh!
Quinn was so impressed that she felt she had to give something to
her. She groped inside her pockets and found a blue ball point pen. She had
bought it the day before and it was relatively new. She gave it to Gabrielle.
"I want you to have this," Quinn pressed the pen into Gabrielle's hand.
The bard studied it before staring blankly back at Quinn," What is this?"
Quinn grinned. She clicked the top of the pen and the nib came out. She
scribbled onto her palm,"It's called a pen. It like, works like a quill...
just less messy. The ink is like, inbuilt inside the body so you don't have
to like, dip the nib into ink. Here, try it." She handed the pen to the bard.
"Oh no," Gabrielle shook her head,"I can't take anything from you...
is it expensive?" Quinn laughed and reassured her it was pretty affordable
and that she had dozens more at home. Gabrielle accepted it proudly.
Xena suddenly appeared by the doorway,"It's time for the gathering-
Joxer's waiting."
"Right, the gathering," Gabrielle hopped off the bed. Quinn followed
behind. They walked to the back of the house where Chriss' grave was. Joxer
was already there, lighting candles in the growing twilight. He had a forlorn
expression on his face.
When he saw the trio, he smiled. "Quinn, can I have a word with you?"
Joxer seemed flustered, edgy. It had to be important.
"Okay," Quinn smiled as Joxer led her back into the house leaving
Xena and Gabrielle at the yard. They sat on the steps on the front of the
porch, watching the stars.
"Quinn," Joxer started,"I know that bit of Chriss is in you... somewhere.
I just want to know, do you still feel the same way you did about me when
you were Chriss? Do I... do I still have that special place in your heart?
Can you... stay and not leave?"
Quinn felt numb. She hadn't expected Joxer to be so gushy. She stared
down at the floor, sub-consiously playing with her hair the way Chriss did.
But she wasn't Chriss. At least not anymore. Right now she was Quinn Essie
Rufus. She was a collegue student, born in California USA and not the ex-
asassin Chriss Gabrielle had told her all about. They were two different
personalities.
"Joxer, I've got someone back home," Quinn took out her wallet and
showed him Teddy's photograph. They had taken a shot together during their
holiday in the Bahamas. Teddy's parents had sponsered it, of course. Quinn
pointed proudly at her boyfriend,"This is like, his picture."
Looking at the picture, Joxer realised he could've been the guy in
it. They had the same features. Only thing was the guy was wearing some sort
of frame over his eyes. He didn't know they were glasses. And his clothes were
funny. Also, he wore his hair longer than he did. It was then that Joxer
understood. He realised Quinn was not for him. She belonged to somebody else.
It was Chriss whom he belonged to.
"What's his name?" Joxer asked good-naturedly as he handed the wallet
back,"...he looks sinfully handsome, if i do say so myself." He laughed at his
silly joke.
Quinn giggled as she replaced her wallet. "His name is Teddy, he's
a wonderful musician... and like, on our very first date, he actually serenated
me with his violin in the twilight!" Joxer saw the dreamy look in her eyes.
"Well I can play musical instruments too," Joxer exclaimed,"My mother,
she forced me to take up lessons when I was a kid. I can- I can play the lyre!"
"No kidding?" Quinn grinned. Yeah, Teddy had to be Joxer in his past
life. It had to be, everything fell into place. The only food she appreciated
were the ones Teddy cooked. And Joxer proved a good chef too. Their cooking
styles were pretty much the same. And Joxer looked like the slightly older
version of her Teddy.
"Well, I'm so glad you... dropped by," Joxer suddenly became all
seious again,"...at least I do know Kristabelle still lives. Even though
she's not here anymore."
"Well, I'm sorry I have to go... I just, don't belong here," Quinn
pointed out,"I just like, wouldn't fit in. Hey, do I like, really look like
Chriss?" Joxer nodded,"Yeah".
Quinn groped inside her wallet and pulled out a passport sized
photograph she had taken sometime ago, before she had her hair cut. Her hair
tumbled down to the back of her shoulders and she had not used her coloured
contacts that day.
"Here, you can have this," Quinn pressed the picture of herself into
Joxer's hands,"...just pretend it's Chriss. You can look at it and think of
her- not me- when you miss her. How's that?"
"Amazing," Joxer breathed as he admired the photograph. It was really
like Chriss. Just that the clothes looked funny. But the picture was so real
it couldn't have been painted. It was as if a minuture sized Chriss was there.
It was almost like he could've touched her,"...thank you Quinn, thank you so
much." He embraced her. Quinn felt so much like Chriss too. It was uncanny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Xena was looking on at the candles Joxer had put out for Chriss in the
growing twilight. Gabrielle was leaning against her chest and she had her strong
arms around her bard's waist. She could smell the sweet fragrance of her bard's
long blonde tresses.
"Xena?" the bard suddenly broke the silene.
"Hmmm?" Xena asked as she looked down into her bard's shiny green eyes.
"You seemed concerned this afternoon when I told you I'd bumped into
that rapist on the way to Phonecia," Gabrielle spoke softly as she stared into
the warrior's blue eyes in the growing darkness.
"I was," Xena whispered huskily. "I was worried about you."
"You were?" Gabrielle turned around and faced her, her arms entwined
around her partner's strong neck.
"Of course I was, Gabrielle," Xena rubbed her nose against her playful
bard's. "I would've gutted him if he did anything to you,"
"So you would've killed him if he... touched me here?" Gabrielle asked
innocently as she gently took hold of Xena's hand and place it on her breast.
Xena smiled and her eyes twinkled suggestively. "I'd beat him to a pulp."
"And if he did this?" the bard probed further as she guided the other
woman's hand into slow round circular motions around her breast. "What would...
what would you do?" She bearly let a moan esape from her lips.
Xena's other hand had crawled the the back of her blouse. Zeus, this
game was interesting... Xena screamed inside her head. She was getting hot.
"I would've spilled his brains."
"And what if," Gabrielle purred innocently as she guided her hand down
her abs and underneath her skirt,"... he went here?"
That was too much for Xena. With one lunge, she fell on top of the
gleeful bard and showed Gabrielle the nocturnal animal she was inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two finally came back to the yard. The candles were nearly all
melted to wax. Gabrielle and Xena sat on the turf nearby, looking slightly
wet and dishevelled. Why, Joxer had no idea but Quinn could only smirk knowingly.
Now here's like, something interesting the textbook left out.
Joxer started strumming on his lyre and Gabrielle recitied poetry.
Xena sang, really she could sing. Quinn made a silent note that if they ever
should have a Broadway in Ancient Greece, Xena ought to join it. She would
even make a good Betty Rizzo for Grease. Quinn blinked. Now like, where did that
thought come from?
It was quite romantic, the friends remembering Chriss and all. Quinn
felt moved for no appariant reason. She especially adored the bard's sonnet
to her cousin. Suddenly, she felt inspired. Quinn stood up and started reciting.
"Remember me when I'm gone away,"
Joxer strummed his lyre.
"Gone far into the silent land;"
Joxer strummed his lyre again.
"When you can no more hold me by the hand,"
Joxer was about to strum it again when he saw Xena's warning look. He put his
lyre away and got the look of approval from Gabrielle.
Quinn continued with her poem:
"Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day.
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me: you understand
It'll be too late to counsel then, or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Then that you should remember and be sad."
Quinn blinked back the tears that had somehow formed in her eyes.
Looking up, she realised that it had the same profound effect on the rest of
them. Even the stoic warrior Xena's eyes had gone misty. Gabrielle, beside her,
was wiping away the tears that had rolled down her cheeks. Joxer blew his
nose. Quinn was pleased they appreciated the good poem.
"Quinn, Chriss definately lives in you," Gabrielle sniffed as she dabbed
her eyes furiously. Beside her, Xena gave her a squeeze. "You share her
artistic talents."
"Yeah," Joxer moaned as he blew his nose like a trumpet,"...that was
SO moving." It reminded him of the song Chriss sang for him when she got
special approvial from the dark lord Hades to come visit him.
Quinn was about to reply when she suddenly felt a low rumble over
her head. In the space above her head, a vortex was forming. It was getting
bigger by the second and a strong suction force of a gale was emiting out
from it.
The friends realised it was time for her to leave. Quinn steadied
herself from the strong suction force. "This is it!" She shouted,"It's gonna
take me back home!"
"Do try to come back to visit next time!" Xena yelled against the
strong wind. Gabrielle raised her voice,"We'll miss you!" Beside them, Joxer
waved,"Take care, Quinn!"
Quinn had barely returned the wave and said goodbye when she got
sucked into the hole. She travelled along the windy channel, the gale carrying
her along. She felt sad to leave the place, but well, she had to go home.
After a while of travelling, she finally saw the end of the tunnel. And a good
thing too, she was getting motion sickness.
She flew through the opening was got dumped back into the still realm
of green surroundings she had first appeared in when she was meditating.
She blinked. Now she was back in her room, sitting crosslegged with the xena
figurine infront of her. Wierd.
"This is like, SO strange!" Quinn exclaimed as she got up and strectched.
"That was like, such a crazy dream," she screamed as she shook her head,"...
meeting Xena and gang in ancient Greece." Quinn raised her eyebrows. "WOW."
She popped her head out of her room and saw her two friends still
asleep on the couch. Quinn glanced at her watch. It was working fine. It was
past midnight now.
Quinn decided to take a shower. She felt an ache. Must've sat in that
crazy position for too long or something, her backside hurt. She undressed and
as she was stepping into the shower, something in the mirror caught her eye,
making her freeze for a moment. She couldn't believe it.
She stood infront of the bathroom mirror and checked her posterior.
Sure enough, her eyes had not played any tricks on her. She ran her fingers
over it and gasped when she felt it. It was real, very real.
She had a scar she was never supposed to have there before.
****************************************************************************
[THE END]
Disclaimer:
===========
Xena has her lookalikes Meg, Diane and Leah while Gabby has her 3
*naked* dancing Gabrielles... so isn't it just fair that my character Chriss
has her very own Quinn too? :)
Time travel can be hazardous. Remember to bring your own personal
puke bags. You'll be needing them. Minuture ones in bilious green (it just
makes it easier, doesn't it? ;>) are available from the Honest guys from
Sal & Co at an awesome discounted price of $21.99 each. Sal & Co.'s BGPPBs
... never leave home without it! [We take cash, credit or check].
Goods once used are non-refundable. BGPPBs come with a three hour
warranty. Sal & Co. will not be head responsible for any damaging
phsycological effects brought on after use.
****************************************************************************
Starring:
=========
Xena *********************** Lucy Lawless
Gabrielle ******************** Renee O'Connor
Joxer/ Teddy ***************** Ted Raimi
Quinn/ Narrator ************** Amazon Moon (moi!)
Melanie *********************** Melanie (BitrSuite1)
============================================================================
There you have it- (like) my first time-travel story where X & G (like)
meet up with Chriss' reincarnation. I think Mel and Janice (from the Xena Scrolls)
are not only the desendents of Xena and Gabrielle respectively but are also
(like), their reincarnations. ...'Tho I feel Melinda Pappas should've (like)
been from the line of (like) Princess Diane. Don't you think? It all (like)
makes sense. Think there was (like) a mix up down the line or something? But
it was (like) a good episode anyway. (like) Sure, you drop me an email at
amazon_moon@yahoo.com to (like) discuss. And for the time being, (like)
battle on, Xenites!
(like) Amazon Moon 1998 C.
PS: Sorry folks, but I think (like) my character Quinn is starting to (like)
rub off onto me. ARGH! My muse is (like) entirely responsible for this!!
=============================================================================
A.M's muse says: My Mistress just overdosed on henbane. I'm getting my lawyer.
Anybody out there in need of a dirty-minded muse? Give me a
ring and I'll give you my card.