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Home Unknown	By : katecooley Category: S through Z > Xena Views: 15190 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Xena, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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See part one for the song and dance routine. OMG! I can't believe this! I have an angel! A fantastic reader from the ff.net days had this saved to her hard drive! Kazza, you rule! I thought I'd lost this one for good! Don't be surprised if a flattering character turns up with your name, hon!

Part 14 - Pass It On!

It was beautiful. And he'd seen plenty enough forests in this lifetime to know when he saw a good one. And this one just seemed so green, so lush, so fragrant...
So full of angry people.
As soon as he and Ares popped into the vibrant woodland, he noticed both the beauty and the tension, which was as palpable as an honest-to-goodness tree. The War God had materialized them on a spot situated exactly between each settlement nestled in the trees so as not to play favorites. Even this far away, Joxer could feel it building up around him, the anger and hate whirling through the air thick as ash. It was almost hard to breathe. The hand still on his back slid up slowly (agonizingly so) to his shoulder in a comforting and frustratingly casually arousing way. Joxer swallowed hard, willing his body to behave. This was the God of War he was contemplating about jumping on. Eventually, the rampant erection was going to get noticed and then... He forced himself to think of other things, like the obvious trouble brewing around them.
As if on cue, a shimmer of fierce purple light appeared in front of them, exploding in a flash that deposited the Goddess of Discord in the forest, looking none-too-happy with the situation herself.
"About fucking time, Ar'!" she snorted and scowled, glaring at her brother with flashing blue-violet eyes. "What were you doing, re-enacting the war with the Titans blow for blow? Sweet Zeus' Balls! I do any more goody-goody shit and I'll be reassigned to Dite's stable. And pink makes me look nauseous! Hey Jox." Her voice lightened slightly as she addressed the mortal, no blame available for him. She gave him a quick once-over and noticed his current state of dress. Nice. She hoped her brother got the chance to properly appreciate that body soon. It was entirely too nice to go to waste.
"Your mouth. Close it." Ares' voice was calm but Joxer could sense the underlying rumble of stern authority. Discord sulked for a minute or two, but silently. "The situation?" A loft of his eyebrow in her direction indicated that it was her turn to talk again.
"They're not fighting, thought not from lack of effort," the dark goddess grumped, her hands clenched at her hips in tight fists. "The dumbest things are setting people off. Yesterday, it was 'who has the prettiest pigs'. Today, it's who has the rights to the river that's not even near these two nothing little collections of mud huts and rags. Tomorrow... well, who in Tartarus knows what's next." She forced her voice to sound so bright and cheery that Joxer had to bite his lip to keep from snickering out loud at how phony it sounded. "Maybe a spitting contest!"
"Tomorrow, this will be another square on a map," Ares' dark eyes swept between the two settlements set before them. "They need a season or two to recover from this stupidity, rebuild their resources, help the land renew..."
"Great. Now I'm helping Demeter, too," Eris complained under her breath.
Ares ignored his twin and turned the conversation to his heart's desire, standing there in the world's tightest leather pants and baby-fine skin and bottomless chocolate eyes... He shook it off again. "If I don't get things to calm down, they'll tear each other apart. Ordinarily, I wouldn't care this much. Little clan dust-ups don't usually require much guidance, but...
A little thought seemed to tickle at Joxer's brain, growing like a sun-starved flower finally having light to reach for. He narrowed his eyes and examined each town from the neutral point the three of them stood on. In his head, a picture focused, that of a much larger town... a city with permanent market-stalls and stone buildings and people bustling around on cobbled stone streets. Vast fields of crops and busy commerce. Artwork and architecture. It seemed so real, as if he could reach out and touch it. The image dissolved quickly, leaving the pretty, thick forest around him again. He nodded and looked furtively but adoringly at his god. What Xena didn't know could fill an amphitheater... with encores.
Ares was having the same thought as he watched comprehension dawning on his former warrior's face. He didn't have to explain it any further - he didn't even have to finish the thought to know that Joxer got it. Got it in spades. Whoever had labeled him a fool as a boy hadn't looked very hard at the quick ease of his thinking. Their loss.

The same went for everyone else who had dismissed the man he'd grown into. He may not have been built for battle, but that head wasn't just there for decoration either. Some wonderful things went on inside and if it took Ares the rest of Joxer's mortal life, he'd get to see every one of them come to fruition. Joxer's mortality aside, as neither he nor his god were privy to its current state anyway, that was a tall proposition, but one Ares intended to see out. No way in Tartarus was he letting Joxer go now. Sexy and smart? Tell me he cooks and... Ares couldn't finish the thought, even just for himself. And what? He was sure what he wanted, but for the first time in a long time, he wasn't sure if that mattered as much as it once had. He'd had more than his share of bed-partners, but their wants and desires had always been peripheral. He couldn't think of Joxer that way. Wouldn't.
"So, what do we do?" Joxer's voice broke Ares out of his reverie and brought him back to the situation at hand.
"Any suggestions would be helpful," Ares smirked and watched Joxer think again, a beautiful thing, he decided.
"Well-ll-ll... you already tried moving them," Joxer tapped his fingers on his leather-clad thigh rhythmically, mentally ticking off their options as he spoke.
"Yep. They just moved right back."
"Have you tried distracting them with something? Or maybe a lot of somethings? Maybe like a wandering band of trolls and ogres?"
"Trolls and ogres?"
"Or something." Joxer smirked saucily back at Ares, remembering the last ogre he'd ever even heard of existing in a bedtime story and conquered by a loving old woman long since gone. "I'm sure Anteros would supply something doable if you asked. The towns could get together to combat the menace."
"A valid idea," Ares scratched his goatee thoughtfully. "But we need to avoid all battle if this area is going to recuperate. I'd like to save the marauding bands of beasts for a last resort."
Joxer nodded again, folding his arms across his bare chest. "Strife could always do his thing and keep them occupied."
"Tried it. They started bragging about being favored by the gods whenever something would happen to the other side." Ares rolled his eyes, remembering the amazing head his nephew had strolled off with after that attempt.
"And if you gave them the order to knock it off?"
"They probably would do it. At least for a little while. But in my experience, without regular smiting, it wouldn't be something that stuck with them. Grudges like this tend to blot out much of everything else, save the bloodlust."
Joxer shifted on his feet and pursed his lips and thought. Not a lot of possibilities left, barring destruction or godly influence. Hands crept to his hips and fingertips drummed again. A farfetched thought barged in and decided to announce itself. "Too bad we can't just slip something into the water and make them all get along, at least for a little while."
"Come again?" That eyebrow lofted up again. Discord had on a similar expression, only hers had something else sneaking in around the edges.
"You know. Dump a little happy powder into the well, make them be friends." Joxer shrugged his pale shoulders, knowing how absurd an idea it was, even to him. But that look that was passing between Ares and his sister... what was that all about? Discord shrugged and held up a hand as if to say 'why not?' Ares took a deep breath and made a face that was something like a pout mixed with thoughtfulness, as if he were mulling over something he wasn't too keen on. "Or can you? I mean... you are gods and everything..."
Another look flew between the twins, sheepishness flashing briefly before hesitant nods bobbed their heads slightly. Joxer got the impression that there was a whole other conversation happening outside of his perception. He and his brothers often had unspoken dialog and they were just regular guys, not gods. A simple flick of a head between the three of them meant volumes. Between twin gods... he couldn't even imagine the possibilities.
"It's not the worst idea ever," Eris nudged her brother in encouragement. "It's not our usual line of work, but..."
"Oh. Right. Um, is there a god of friendship or something? I've never heard of one, but hey, what do I know?"
Ares made a series of thoughtful scowls. "I don't like this, Rissy."
"We'll be right here the whole time," Eris rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. "And it'll be good for her to get some action under her belt." Ares' eyes narrowed sharply at that idea. "Minor action, Sunshine. Minor. Very minor. Minor-minor."
With a seethingly hostile look to his sister, Ares flashed out of the glen, his departure adding to the tension in the ambient breezes.
"Don't sweat it, Jox," Eris relaxed and gave the mortal's arm an affectionate pat.
Before he had a chance to respond to unexpected kindness, Joxer squinted as Ares returned amidst an even brighter flash and a flurry of giggling and squealing. Hugging to his side and bouncing up and down excitedly was that young goddess he'd seen in Ares' bath-mirror. In person, she looked even younger, her mahogany curls bouncing with her as she beamed and glowed with excitement. The flash of energy had hardly faded when the girl launched herself from Ares to Discord and gave her the hug-and-bounce routine as well.
"Yeah, yeah. I missed you too, Harm," Eris patted her niece's back and hoped for impossible calm.
"OhgodsAuntRissyI'msogladtoseeyou!" The words came out in one long, giggly string. "ImeanIloveNanaandallbutImisseveryonesobadIcan'tseestraightsomedays!"
Eris managed to push her back a step or two and tried to stifle a smile she was glad too many people wouldn't see. "You're lookin' good, cookie. Nan's been feedin' you well, I'd say." Undeterred, another hug was inflicted upon her aunt, squeezing her so tight she swore she'd pop. "OK, OK, take it easy..." Eris untangled herself again and held the younger goddess at bay. "Don't rupture anything. We need you intact for this."
"For what?" Her soft, dark eyes turned back to her father and watched him walk over to... Another beam and glow began on her face. "Joxer? You know Daddy?"
"Of course. He's mine, isn't he? The question is how do you know him?" It was a stern question, one Joxer couldn't answer and wasn't sure he wanted to even if he could. Monkeying around with the only daughter of Love and War? EEP! Besides, she's not really my type. Too young. Plus... Ares called me his...

"You're kidding me, right?" Harmonia snorted and cast a matching look at her father. "Of course I know him. Mommy doesn't shut up about him for five minutes. Plus... you know that I know the second anyone gets a crush." Like the monster one on you right now. And from the way he's gazing at you right now, I'd have to be blind and stupid to miss it.

Ares grunted in agreement - he really didn't need a reminder of Joxer's bard-obsession now, not while he was half-naked and relaxed and all. Anything that would ruin that was not on his good side.
Joxer, for his part, was praying and hoping and crossing whatever body parts could cross that he wasn't about to get outed in front of Ares. Please no. Not now. Not when things are so good. If he finds out...
Don't sweat it, Jox, a voice wafted into his head, echoed and aethered but definitely belonging to Aphrodite's only little girl. I wouldn't tell him. Couldn't if I wanted to. I'm not strong enough to lose that kind of power now. And anyway... well, you'll get it soon enough, I'm sure. The voice got clearer and Joxer realized she was speaking out loud again "So, what do you need? I'm still a little shaky on some of the big things, but Nana says I'm getting better."
"We just need a little push from you. Remember that game you used to play on Olympus?" Ares shook off his grump and offered her his elbow.
Slim shoulders shrugged quickly and casually. "Sure, Daddy. If you think it'll help." She slipped her little hand into the crook of his arm. "But I thought you hated it when I played that?"
Ares ground his teeth together at the memory but found a smile growing in spite of it. "Only when you made me dance with the Hags." He cast a look to Joxer and waggled his eyebrows, basking in the shy smile that was his reward. Maybe doing the box step with a flat-footed goddess of the hunt wasn't good for nothing after all.
***
"And this'll work?" Eris looked slightly unconvinced. Not that she would ever question Ares' judgment or her own ideas, but... She hadn't ever seen this in action, not professionally, anyway.
"Well, it's not fool-proof. I never could rope in the group from Asphodel," Harmonia whispered as they hunkered down behind the large boulder on the outskirts of the first village, a tense little burg called Crox. "But I always figured that was an Underworld thing."
"I guess it'll be OK then," Eris peered out from behind the rock, examining the dismal town she'd been spooking around. "Your dad and Jox'll keep an eye on you once you're inside and I'll be covering the perimeter."
"OK." A quick grin graced the younger goddess. "By the way, Daddy and Joxer? Nice work!"
"Ain't my doing, kiddo," Eris protested, giving her niece a gentle shove for the town. "But I'll pass on the kudos once it's finished."
Harmonia giggled and headed up the packed dirt path. She could feel a dampening aura around her, protection from her aunt and father to keep her safe from the emotions swirling around the town and its people. She used one of the easier glamour spells she'd learned to change her appearance to that of a simple farmgirl as she walked among the mortals. It took some work not to skip and bounce - this was so exciting! She'd hardly believed it when Ares had shown up at Nana's mountaintop home looking for her. For a split second, she'd thought that he'd found out about her most recent trip to Olympus, but apparently her usually blabbermouthed brothers had been able to zip it for once. Ares had been smiling and hugged her like nobody's business before whisking her off to meet with Aunt Rissy and Joxer.

Joxer! Well, that certainly took long enough, didn't it? She'd been stuck hoping and praying instead of doing something about it, which stunk. But that was part of her godhood. Infatuation. To encourage it to grow into something else would send the power it generated to someone else. Normally, that was the way things went, but that was with full gods. Later, when her training was done, she would be better able to channel it to the next god, but now... from what everyone always told her, she needed all the energy she could get while she was training. Since she was alone, she didn't bother holding back her radiant smile. If Ares and Joxer were going to get their respective acts together, she'd lose that flow of unrequited infatuation energy. But taking a stroll through this area should more than make up for it.
***
Garcus hefted the basket of bread up and eyes the path to his stall in the market. He sighed. How many days had he made this lonely trek from the baking stove to his booth? How many more days lay ahead of him? Too many, for sure. The brawny man grimaced and lifted the loaves to his shoulder, balancing it and starting the trudging trip that had become his existence. Off ways, further in side the village center, he could see the angry armed men that just seemed to have always been there, a common and constant fixture of daily life in Crox. Their mere presence cast a pall on even the sunniest d-
Garcus was jarred from his thoughts as a body collided with him hard enough to send some loaves flying. The propellant hit the dirt with a thud and an 'oof' and he turned to find a woman - barely more than a girl, really - sprawled out on her rump in the path.
"Oh, jeez, I'm sorry mister," she rustled herself back to her feet, brushing off her plain brown dress and apologizing to beat the bard. "I wasn't watching where I was going and now look. Your bread's all in the dirt." Quickly, she scooped up the runaway baker's goods, dusted them off as best as she could, and returned them, her hand brushing against his as she did.
A faint shock passed between them, not one of passion but... his hand felt warmer and his heart soon followed as the lovely young girl smiled at him so prettily. "Thank you, miss..." There was sunlight in that face, happy, young and free
"Olivia," she beamed and patted his hand before resuming her traveling. "And you're most welcome."
Garcus almost couldn't recall the rest of the journey, his head a little groggy and light. Had the sun come out from behind a cloud? The town seemed brighter somehow. His basket seemed lighter, too. Funny. As he stood in front of his market stall, he tried to remember something about the girl he'd run into in the street, something about what she looked like, but other than that brilliant smile, he was stumped. Odd.
"Fresh bread today Garcus?" an idle question - there was always fresh bread. He turned his attention to his first customer of the day, the widow Melka. Her husband had fallen in the feud against Bellox, as had her oldest brother. She was still young, still attractive... and still mourning. As was the custom, most people still shied away from her, supposedly to let her 'mourn properly'. And usually Garcus would follow along with that, keeping their exchange short and to the point. But today... he couldn't quite explain it. He had to see her smile.
"Nothing but, missus!" A crooked-toothed smile spread out on him and he searched through his loaves for an especially handsome specimen. "And if you hurry, I'd bet Anaphana has some fresh butter to go with it."
"Really? Thanks!" Melka took the loaf hesitatingly, unused to anyone being so chatty lately. And his hand even touched hers! How long had it been since even the most casual of contact? "Butter would be nice. Maybe though... you think there might be milk? We could use that more than the butter. It's a little rich for the children..."
"Ah, yes. How are little Jasper and Eldonia?" And his expression was so open and interested and welcoming that she told him.
***
Three nearly identical faces overlooked the action. Harmonia, though shielded and 'glamour'-ized, was easy enough to spot as she moved through the villages, first Crox and then Bellox, giving her 'special touch' to random people. It was nice to watch from afar and not have to worry about winding up on someone's lap, being petted like a favorite cat. Or worse. And from their perch, the three could see Ares, too, standing guards on rooftops and hillocks as his daughter moved around below, the God of War keeping a hawk's eye on everything just in case. Not that any of them expected any less. That he was using Harm in the first place was a surprise. Eris was visible too, invisible to mortal eyes and stationed at the perimeter in case anything should happen there that needed to be contained.

They could also see Joxer, who was keeping a little closer eye, mixing in among the people and avoiding them at the same time. Who knew that Joxer could be so stealthy? But there he was, slipping out of reach before the good vibes got passed on to him, letting another villager catch them instead.
"Well fellas, I gotta get down there and fuck up a little," Strife stood and dusted himself off. "Everything cool on your end?"
"Yeppers," Deimos nodded not taking his eyes off the village below them.
"Yeah, don't sweat it," Phobos nodded just like his twin, also riveted on the action. "Ol' Sparkly-boots is nothing if not prompt."
"Hey, this is my Mom we're talking about fixing up here," Strife worked up a good scowl for his cousins. "I'm allowed to 'sweat it', OK?"
"Ahhh, get stuffed," the blond god in the oxblood leather short-pants dismissed the God of Mischief with a wave of his hand. "She can handle Hermes."
"From what I hear, she can handle..." Phobos' snicker got cut off by his cousin's growl and a sharp slap to the back of his head before Strife flashed away, plotting more revenge on the God of Fear.
***
Discord pouted and scowled in turn, scuffing her feet in the dirt and kicking random stones as she paced the area outside those two pissy little outpost towns. Not that she minded doing the job on point. This was all part of being in the House of War. Someone had to do it and it had to be her sometimes. No big. Still, though, she would've liked to see what was going on. Not that she'd never seen it before, but she hated being left out.
"Well, if there's one consolation, whatever they're doing should move Dite's plan moving along, right?" she asked the trees, who weren't answering. Truth be known, she'd have liked to have more influence on that scheme. Letting her blond faux-bimbo of a sister take the reins and steer her love life was unnerving. A nervy herd of 'what-if's had been roaming around her feet since their meeting at Polyphystos and the little jerks had stuck around, since no one was keeping her updated.
She frowned and scuffed again. This was torture and not the fun kind, either. She wished she knew what was going on. "THIS SUCKS!" She shouted to the trees, which were still silent, and kicked another rock for the hills. Something had better happen. And soon.
-tbc-
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