This is just me venting my frustration at the finale, enjoy ;)
Disclaimers: I don�t own Xena or Gabrielle (damn I wish I did) they belong to the producers (damn I wish they didn�t) this is just me releasing my anger about the finale
Subtext: Please even the show has admitted it�but this is a strictly PG-13 story you want to see more than that go somewhere else
Violence: Hmmmm�Xena WARRIOR Princess there might be just a tad bit a violence given the name of the show�PG-13 level here too sorry. I suck at R rated stuff
Spoilers: As I said before this is me venting my frustration at the finale so..there�s spoilers from about season 1-6 wait.. that�s all of them�
Her army was restless. They had stopped and made camp nearly two weeks ago. There need for blood was at an all time high. However, they knew better than to question their leader. Especially on this day.
For the past three years this army together every time this day came around she would force them to stop and make camp no matter they had been doing in recent past. Their leader then would drink herself to death for three to four days un-end. Last year five of the soldiers thought since she was drunk they could over power her and take over the army�they were wrong. For as the crept into her tent they were met with fiery green eyes and were all dead in a matter of seconds, their anguished screams could be heard throughout the entire camp.
No one was quite sure if their leader was sane. Often times at night, they could hear her arguing with thin air in her tent sometimes yelling and screaming. But none dared question her. For she was ruthless and killed with little thought. Of course, that is what made her their leader.
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�Gabrielle you have to stop this! You�re destroying yourself!� The ghost Xena desperately pleaded with her soulmate.
�Stop what Xena? Drinking myself to the point where I pass out or slaughtering people everywhere I go?� The warlord Gabrielle asked with an amused expression enjoying her once thought soulmate�s torment over this.
�How can you ask that question with a straight face?!� Xena shouted at the top of her lungs. �Gabrielle your not like this! You are not a murderer!!�
Gabrielle laid back on her bedroll, her back propped against a wooden chest where she kept her weapons. �Funny I thought slitting the throats of those villagers a few weeks ago was murder�� Gabrielle shrugged and took another swallow from her wineskin. �I must have been mistaken.�
Xena screamed in frustration, ripped the wineskin from Gabrielle�s fingers and began to shout. �Gods be damn Gabrielle listen to yourself! This isn�t you! You�ve never been a cold-blooded murderer! What the hell has gotten into you?!�
The warlord was not amused about having her wine taken from her. But her voice remained cool. �I don�t know�watching that Japanese bastard that killed you slump to the ground dead after I struck him with the chakram felt pretty damn good. I�ve soooooo enjoyed killing ever since�it�s intoxicating�thee feel of your blade slicing into someone�the scent of blood�� Gabrielle gave a smile at Xena�s shocked face. She did not understand why this shocked Xena so. She had told her a thousand times, why she was a killer. Tears now fell from the once mighty Destroyer of Nations face.
�Gabrielle please�your soul is dying bit by bit as you-� Xena was cut off by an outraged warrior�s fist against her face.
�My soul that you hold so dearly Xena DIED four years ago at the side of Mount Fuji! There is nothing left in here but a tortured being who�s only escape from her torment is in drinking and inflicting as much pain to other people as the pain that was inflicted upon ME!� The warlord�s eyes were on fire now. �So you can stop your whining for that damn bard to come back because your need to fill out the wishes of that damn Japanese whore killed her!!!�
Xena just stood there dumbfounded. She�s blaming me?! I sacrificed myself so that forty thousand souls could live out eternity in peace�not for her. However, looking into those fiery green orbs realization hit her. It may not have been what she had done but it sure as hell looked like that to anyone else. Gabrielle felt betrayed.
�Gabri-�
�Get out Xena. Get the hell out!� Gabrielle�s eyes were cold and hatred filled. Had Xena been alive the warlord would have killed her by now. There would be no reasoning with Gabrielle when she was in this state but damn it she could only visit the warrior during the anniversary of her death. And every year thus far Gabrielle had been to drunk to talk to her.
Xena sighed. �See you next year Gabrielle�I love you.� And then she was gone.
�What part of I love you means to let yourself die while your soulmate spends life in hell without you!� Gabrielle shouted at the air. I have given up everything for you! My child, my family, my own damn time-period just to be by your side and you do THIS to me! What part of I love you is that!?� Gabrielle shouted even louder. Warrior�s outside her tent shook their heads and wondered-not for the first time why they had chosen to stay in her army.
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Gabrielle was just placing her sias in her boots when he appeared.
�Ares what the hell do you want?� Gabrielle questioned her voice filled with restraint. Her body itching to kick his ass.
Ares ignored her disrespect. �Look I�ve really enjoyed watching you slaughtering people over the last three years. But the particular army your about to attack happens to be mine and-�
Gabrielle�s laugh interrupted him. �You don�t want me making a fool out of you? Please Ares you do that just fine by yourself.�
Ares growled. �Your more annoying than when you were that damn goody-too-shoe bard!� He shouted as he disappeared.
Gabrielle laughed. �Loving every minute of this.�
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�Alright Xena this has gone on a gods be damned long enough! Now fix it!� Ares shouted as he appeared into the eerie abyss Xena was now doomed to spend eternity in. He noticed half way through his sentence that his sister Aphrodite was already there dressed in her usually pink nighty.
�Beat you to the punch bro.� Aphrodite called out to the God of War.
�Damn it Xena get your ass back to life before I go insane with the Gabrielle the Destroyer shit! She�s ruining all my fun! Why the hell did you kill yourself for that damn bitch Akemi anyway?!� The frustrate god shouted.
�I did not kill myself for her!! I did for the forty thousand souls at Higuchi!�
�Keep telling yourself that Xena and someday someone may believe it.� Aphrodite told her.
�AARRG!� The warrior princess yelled in frustration. �Is there a point to you two coming her or are you here simply to blame me for everything?!?�
�Not me I came cause I wanna like help my friend get a hold of herself like when she did that for me.� Aphrodite told her sternly. �So what the hell are we going to do?�
�I can�t do anything!� Xena yelled. �If I come back to life all those people will suffer! I have to stay here�I have to.� Xena whispered sinking down into a crouched position with her face buried in her face in frustration.
�You know I always thought it was Gabrielle who was the more pathetic part of you two.� Ares stated as he watched the once famed warrior princess cry like a baby.
�Can we get someone to take your place?� Aphrodite questioned ignoring her brother�s rude comment.
�Who would want to spend eternity here?� Xena questioned. She opened her mouth to say more but stopped as she felt a strange sensation course through her and her body began to fade. �wha?� Xena called out confused as her body faded more.
�Someone�s sucking her sprit to make themselves more powerful.� Ares observed calmly.
�What?! Damn it! Xena get back here! Who is doing this?� the goddess yelled.
�My guess would be Xena�s beloved Akemi is taking after her father. Xena�s soul being so powerful she just had to have hers.�
�But-� I�ll get Gabrielle she�ll know what to do!� Aphrodite said as she began to disappear.
�Whoa wait Sis!� Aphrodite reappeared.
�What?� Aphrodite asked annoyed at her brother�s snide discouraging comments.
�Who�s to say Gabrielle wants to help?�
There was no answer.
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It was dark now. She had decided to set up camp near the ruins of their latest victory. Ares army had been no match for hers. Xena had after all taught her well. But now the fun was over and the warlord Gabrielle was left to her silent musing before sleep over took her. She couldn�t afford to drink tonight, tomorrow they would have to move on and she did not need a hangover while riding in the infernal heat. Gabrielle then decided�being sober sucked.
The memories of finding Xena�s body headless and strung up like a prize in that warlord�s camp flooded her memory. A choked cry escaped the warlord Gabrielle�s throat. The horror that she had felt at that moment enveloped her once more only its intensity was greater. For at that time she had the fact that she could bring Xena back to life to hang on to. But now she knew�she knew that her partner would never be back. Never. All because of that damn whore bitch Akemi. Gabrielle bitterly thought. And Xena�s need to fulfill that bitch�s every whim. Damn you Akemi! Damn you Xena! Damn myself�
Now anger replaced the horror she had felt earlier. Anger at the inhuman treatment Xena�s body had received. After killing the bastard that had killed her friend, Gabrielle only received satisfaction for a few moments. Then she was left with a craving�a craving to make the world suffer as she did. To make it pay.
Heroes are a joke. Gabrielle reflected. They go about saving people and end up with nothing but few thank yous and one hell of a headache in the morning�or death. Death for what? A few cowardly villagers? Where the hell is the glory in that?
Gabrielle had spent a year after Xena�s death pondering what to do now that she discovered how much of a waste her whole life had been thus far. And after one night of actually being sober, she came up with the conclusion. Xena had it right the first time around. Conquering the world is what she should have been doing instead of that damn redemption crap Xena had been doing. She could have had it all. But instead she�s took a path that led her into becoming a damn pot. And one screwed up in the brains sidekick left behind.
So the bard had gathered an army and has spent the last three years in a bloodthirsty haze.
Gabrielle�s silent musing was interrupted when a flash of golden light followed by the appearance of a blond barely clothed goddess.
�Gabby you gotta help Xena�s in trouble!� The goddess shouted at her.
�Incase you haven�t noticed Aphrodite Xena�s dead.� Gabrielle responded annoyed at the goddess�s rude appearance�and that she couldn�t kill her for doing so.
�I kinda figured that out Gabs. I went to her in that wacked out freaky place she has to live in now to try and figure a way to bring her back and she started disappearing. Ares said it was cause that that stupid chick Akemi was sucking her soul so she could like be all-powerful or something. You gotta help before Xena�s soul is lost for like forever!�
At the mention of Akemi�s name Gabrielle was interested. By the end of Aphrodite�s tale she was strapping he sias to her boots. �Tell me how to get to Akemi.� She ordered.
�Excuse me Gabs but like you soooooo gotta work on your manners you�re like acting like one of them sick warlords.�
Then it hit home to Gabrielle. She was a monster. It was like waking up from a nightmare. However, this one was true. Xena was right�as always. She was destroying herself. And now some bitch was destroying Xena. I�m sooo going to enjoy kicking that whore�s ass.�
�Sorry Aphrodite. Could you tell me what I need to do to save Xena?�
�Basically the same thing you two were planning to do last time in Japan. You gotta become a spirit, trade places with Xena convince Akemi to take your place in avenging the souls, and then we gotta get your ashes to the fountain of life at mount Fuji and bring you back.�
�Convince Akemi to take my place? What the hell am I going to do get her to agree to that?�
�I don�t know I�m just here to get things started. You�re going to have to figure that one out.�
Gabrielle nodded. �Alright umm can you pop us somewhere safer so that when Xena gets back to life she doesn�t have to fight her way out of a warlords camp?�
�Right.� The goddess nodded then snapped her fingers and they were at the side of mount Fuji.
�Alright here goes.� Gabrielle sighed as she lifted her fingers and put the pinch on herself. She fell backwards into the goddess of love�s arms. The goddess quickly sank to the ground and held the warrior bard in her last moments of life.
After about twenty seconds Gabrielle noticed Xena appearing. She was weak. Akemi had drained a lot out of her already. But as soon as she was alive Akemi could no longer do so. Gabrielle smiled softly to the now horrified expression on Xena�s face as she realized what the bard was doing. But before Xena could speak Gabrielle was dead.
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�Aphrodite what the hell did you just do?!� Xena shouted at the top of her lungs.
�Relax Warrior Babe. Gabs just taking your place until she can get Akemi to take it.�
�Akemi! What the hell did she do to deserve this?!� Xena was heaving with outrage. If she wasn�t so tired she�d punch the goddess so hard�
�Duh! She�s the one that�s been draining your soul so she can be all-powerful. For someone who�s lived as long as you have your not very bright.�
Xena walked over and cradled Gabrielle�s body in her arms. �Fine. I don�t like what your doing but I�ll go along with it for Gabrielle�s sake.�
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Whoa. Gabrielle thought. This place is dreary. The warrior bard circled around herself, the Sacred Katana needed to slay Akemi if need be in hand. It was cold too. Odd that she could feel cold since she was dead. Luckily, for her though the bard had stopped wearing her red halter top and skirt and instead wore her Samurai outfit.
There was little light. Everything was black. And fog so thick she could barely see in front of her face surrounded her. Akemi is going to figure out what�s going on here any minute and she�ll be here to kill you. Better, figure out something quick Gab.
Just as soon as she finished that thought an outraged screech could be heard. And Akemi appeared.
Gabrielle readied her sias for a battle she knew she could not avoid and a battle deep down she didn�t want to.
Akemi was not how she remembered her to be. She looked more like her father Yodishi. Her face a twisted mask of cobalt blue and black. The dress she wore was the same as she had seen her in at the teahouse only in tatters.
�Akemi you have to take my place it is your responsibility those people�s deaths-�
Gabrielle�s voice was cut off as a bolt of lightning was shot at her. She quickly dove to the side. When she was on her feet again she could no longer see Akemi in the fog that surrounded her.
�Those souls no longer exist! I have taken them and molded them into something far more useful as I had planed to do with Xena. But you took her from me! You WILL pay!�
More and more lightning shot out at the desperately dodging warrior. No matter how hard Gabrielle tried though she could not see the demon Akemi. But at least Akemi had solved one of her problems with the souls gone she was now free to kill Akemi�if she could.
Now streams of fire were streaming out at her. Causing the ground to catch on fire and soon the bard was trapped within a circle of fire. As she circled the fire looking desperately for an escape Akemi walked through the flames. A Katana appeared in her hand. Shit.
Gabrielle dodged two swings of the Katana one at her left then right. Then anger welled inside her. This bitch is not going to win! Gabrielle met the next swing with her own Katana. The sound of steel against steel echoing throughout the dark plain there were in.
After what seemed like hours of trading swings back and forth Gabrielle finally slashed her sword against the abdomen of the demon, a thin strip of red spread across her stomach. Akemi screeched with rage and began swinging more wildly at her.
Gabrielle�s strength was waning fast. She wasn�t sure how much longer she could keep this up. Of course the thought of losing made her try even harder to kill the she-demon. Gabrielle gave out a yell and jumped up and kicked Akemi in the face using her as a wall as she did a back flip and landed back on the ground and before the she-demon could recover Gabrielle kicked her Katana out of her hands. Akemi once again screamed with rage.
Gabrielle only smiled. �Losing your touch?�
�Go to hell!� Akemi screeched
�You mean being in your presence doesn�t count?� Gabrielle laughed at the demon�s raged expression. Her laughter turned into a cry of pain as a lightning bolt shot her across the room, landing right before the deadly flames that surrounded them. Before the warrior bard even got her breath back Akemi leapt across the room and landed on top of the bard knocking her once more to the ground. Akemi quickly pinned her to the ground. She gave the bard a wicked grin as she grabbed one of the bard�s arms and thrust it into the flames behind her. Gabrielle screamed. The pain that coursed through her was so intense she forgot everything except the white hot pain ripping through her.
Akemi laughed. �Who�s in hell now little bard?�
Gabrielle looked up through her glazed eyes to see the one person who had caused so much suffering for her and her friend. Damn if I�m going to let her beat me again! Gabrielle let the anger and hatred she felt for this she-demon surface locking what little of the compassionate bard that was left in her, so deep down she wasn�t sure she could get it back again. But she didn�t care. All that mattered was that this bitch pay for what she had done to her.
With renewed vigor that Gabrielle slammed her dead into Akemi�s, knocking her off her. The warrior then kicked Akemi across the floor where she slided to a stop. Gabrielle reached for the fallen Katana on the floor and raised it above the bitch, the little of what was left of her arm cradled on the inside of he Samuri outfit. As the Katana sank into Akemi�s body however something the vengeful warrior had not anticipated happened. A painful surge of power crashed through her, Akemi�s last attempt to kill her. But she was too late at saving herself but taking Gabrielle down with her would be the next best thing.
Gabrielle slumped to the ground, her mind desperately trying to fight off unconsciousness. She needed to get back to the mountain so that Xena would know to throw her ashes into the fountain. A grunt escaped her as she used the last of her strength to get back to her soulmate�Hopefully.
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�The suns about to set where is she?!� The Warrior Princess shouted in frustration as she paced back and forth in front of the fountain. Ares and Aphrodite sat pensively on two rocks side bye side watching the warrior pace.
�Calm down Xena she�ll get her in time now stop pacing your like driving me insane!� Aphrodite yelled at her. Xena sighed and slumped down next to the goddess.
�THIS is driving me insane!� Xena shouted, �I should have just let Akemi take my soul-�
�Xena please spare us the self loathing crap we�ve heard enough of it already.� Ares sighed. Xena glared. �Well it�s true! The damn I should have this and I shouldn�t have done that, is pointless chatter and is a waste of your time and is incredibly annoying to everyone else so just shut up!�
Xena snarled at the god for his comment.
�Okay, okay sorry.� Ares raised his hands in defense.
A few more moments passed before a shimmering light exploded in front of them and Gabrielle�s transparent form appeared on her knees, her right hand cradling what was left of her other hand.
�Oh Gods she�s hurt! Quick Aphrodite give me her ashes!� Xena shouted in a panicked.
Aphrodite shook her shocked expression from her face and quickly tossed the urn to the waiting warrior princess.
Xena caught it with ease and rushed over to the urn, the sun was almost set and time was almost out. Xena practically through the ashes into the fountain, she then turned around to anxiously watch her soulmate, praying that she wasn�t too late.
Three relieved breaths could be heard as Gabrielle finally became solid. Xena ran to her friend and pulled her into an embrace. �Gabrielle! By the gods you scared the Tarterus out of me! Oh gods�your arm�� Xena whispered in anguish, feeling it was her fault for her partner�s loss.
Gabrielle quickly jumped to her feet, surprising both Xena and the two gods watching. �Why the hell are you sympathizing with me? I�m a monster! I deserve every second of pain I went through in there! You shouldn�t have even brought me back!�
�Gabrielle I couldn�t leave you I lo-� Xena started but was interrupted by the warrior bard�s shout.
�Oh it�s different when the roles are reversed huh Xena? When it�s my redemption for my life I can�t be dead cause you need me but me need for you doesn�t matter?!� Gabrielle�s eyes were flailing with rage. But then a look of horror crossed her face. She backed up two steps and stumbled. Xena�s horrified expression planted firmly in her mind. I cause that? Oh gods.. Gabrielle turned and fled. Leaving one stunned warrior and two gods behind.
Xena shook her head and jumped to her feet and began running. �Gabrielle! Wait!� But before she got to far Aphrodite materialized in front of her and the warrior rammed into her. �Aphrodite what-�
�Cool it Warrior Babe, Gabs got some stuff to work out on her own. You�re not exactly her favorite person at the moment anyway.�
�But..�
�Sis is right.� Ares said as he materialized. �You need to back off Xena. Terminator Gabby over there did have a point. If I were you I�d back off.�
�Arrg�! Xena shouted in frustration. �What the hell am I supposed to do? Someone needs to help her! And she�s hurt for hades sake!�
�She�s a big girl she can take care of herself.� Ares mocked then laughed. Xena just let out another shout while Aphrodite glared at Ares. �What? I thought it was funny.�
�Look Xena you did kinda screw this one up. Your just going to have to wait and see what Gabrielle decides to do.� But don�t expect it too soon she�s got a lot to sort through right now.� Aphrodite told Xena flatly.
Xena sighed and walked off. Staring off into the now darkened sky realized what it must have been like for Gabrielle four years prior. �Gods Gabrielle please come back�� Xena whispered to the winds.
The End
Check out the sequel: Sins of the Bard>
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