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These pages were last updated: November 22, 1997
ŠNovember 1997
The following is a bit of alternative fiction based on certain characters from the Xenaverse. It is not meant to infringe on anyone else's rights. If you don't agree or disapprove, please go read something else.
Xex Alert: Yep there will be. Sizzling Hot, but later.
The portal to Tartarus opened not long after the "volunteers," put their equipment on. Salmoneus shrugged uncomfortably in his leather armor. People actually wore this? Xena seemed to be wearing her usual and ignored the shield. Perdicus put it behind his backpack, just in case. He actually did have a long memory. The Amazons, didn't have to worry about changing, but wore what they usually did. Marcus grinned at the familiar feel of the leather vest and slapped on the wrist guard with a casual happiness.
He knew Xena might not be returning with them. If she found Gabrielle, she was probably going to stay. Knowing her, she'd probably not even go through one token. He intended to enjoy, treasure the experience of having his love near and last as long as his tokens would allow. He wondered if Hades realized that he'd given them four lives instead of three. At least that's how it played out in his head, when he'd calculated how many times he'd be brought back.
Oh well, he wasn't going to say anything.
Not that he could talk when he saw what stepped out into Hades' judgment court.
She was tall, taller than Xena. Her breasts were high and uncovered, her belly flat. She wore a skirt, but it only covered her to mid thigh and it didn't hide the spiked tail which waved behind her. Her hair was a dark rich hue that cascaded down her back in fluffy waves. It looked like fire come alive. Her skin was the color of a king's robe. The horns on her head were small, compared to the guards he'd seen when he'd first been thrown in Tartarus. They curled slightly and pointed just above her ears which were rounded like a human's. She wore a knife at her waist. Her eyes were the color of green fire and slitted like a cats. She wore boots that came up past her knees. Her teeth were sharp and bright. She exuded sex.
They always did. The females. He remembered that now and thanked the Gods that Xena was around.
The creature turned and looked back through the portal. Her voice was as slickly sweet as honey and he noticed that it was having an effect on the women of the party as well. Marcus gulped.
This could be a problem.
She called out and slapped her thigh, "Come Tok!" A smile lit her face as *it* bounded out with unrestrained enthusiasm. The creature was catlike, spikier, no fur. It had horns too and giant claws that clicked on the surface of Hades' floor when it walked. It purred against her thigh, it's back curved where the hem of her skirt stopped. She rested a long hand comfortably on its head as she surveyed the individuals gathered in front of her. She sniffed. Once.
Xena was the only one who appeared unaffected by the disdain in her expression.
Then the demon turned to Hades and raised her eyebrows. "You Interrupted my bath for this?" Her voice dripped with reproach. It wasn't exactly a tone one expected to hear towards a God.
Hades breathed in carefully, more affected by her presence than he expected. Gods, she'd changed. She must have gone up a level. He wondered briefly who she'd beaten to get this far and let that go. Tartarus politics was something he liked to stay out of as much as possible.
He looked at the daggite besides her. She'd trained a daggite!!!! But. .but. . . No use saying it couldn't happen. Obviously it had. First the nine hells, then this. He tried to keep in mind that she was on his side, and fought down the niggling sense of panic that started in the back of his mind. "Izzy, I need a favor," he started and as he did, he realized suddenly that he was starting to rack up quite a few debt points with this one. How many times had he called on her since she first adapted? Enough that she could start asking favors of him at some point. Gods. He'd better be careful.
There was nothing for it though. She was the only one he could trust with this.
She gazed evenly at him as he outlined the plan, the problems and the possible solutions. She was actually grinning at him by the time she was done. "You gonna reward the one who makes all the levels? Seems like there ought to be a reward for that." She snickered. If one could get past the madness that is.
Hades shook his head in wonder, "You think they're gonna make it through the nine?"
She looked at the assembled again (who were, by this time, feeling very ignored) assessingly. She grinned evilly. The smile sent shivers up their collective spine. "No." She addressed Hades again, lazily stroking the panting daggite's horns. "No, I don't think so." She looked directly at Xena, "But someone might." She tapped the daggite's head. It looked up and she whispered something too soft to be heard by normal ears. It clicked away from her and started prowl around the gathered individuals, sniffing at them, growling small. (Now most of them were wishing they were being ignored once more. Except for Xena, who simply stood silently as it prowled closer and closer to her. Her hearing happened to be above average. She knew all it was supposed to do was "get to know" them.)
Izzy continued, "In which case you should give them a prize. Something worth fighting for. Perhaps for a hundred Dumbunnies they get an extra life." She grinned. Prolific bloodsucking bastards, but tasty. She licked her teeth in memory and Hades took a step back.
"Uhm, I'll think about that."
Izzy let go of the toothy smile and narrowed her eyes. "You do that. Think hard about what you're starting here."
Hades cleared his throat, "I have." He looked firm, "and I've decided."
Izzy grimaced at him. "So that's it then? I'm to take them through Tartarus and back, if they can make it?"
"Yes." He nodded, and ignored the lifting sensation in his groin. Gods, he was going to have to go get a check up. First Xena, now this.
She shrugged and for a moment her expression looked mild, "Okay then." She started to step away from the God, then stopped. She looked at him intensely, "Will they be affected by the change?" Hades looked startled, then thoughtful.
He shook his head. He didn't think so.
She took a breath. "Good."
Then she turned her presence to the waiting humans. She called Tok, who had started gnawing lazily at Salmoneus' backpack. The grey haired man had stepped behind Marcus to avoid even being near those sharp teeth. Tok slithered up and clicked its way back to the mistress.
Salmoneus wiped the sweat from his brow. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He looked at the tokens that were stringed around his neck. Gods, he hoped he went quick. Elysius was sounding better and better. Maybe boring was good.
The demon stood up from her crouch and smiled. It would have been sweet, except it really wasn't. "Come on then folks, Let's go to Hell."
Xenite Temple | Fan Fiction Site | Home Page
These pages were last updated: November 22, 1997
ŠNovember 1997