AresJoxerCupidStrife - Artemis Luna Diana

Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Title: King of the Gods (0/?)
Author: Artemis Luna Diana
Email: artemislunadiana@yahoo.com
Rating: R
Fandom: Xena/Herc.
Pairing: Ares/Joxer, Cupid/Strife
Disclaimer: I own not a thing.
Warning: homosexuality, sex, reference to character death
Summary: Challenge response to Shadwmage7: Joxer becomes King of the
Gods.
Status: WIP
Archive: AJCS, all others please ask.
Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HuntressSmiles and
http://www.livejournal.com/users/missdiana
Thanks to: BlackUmbridge for the excellent beta.
Notes: My mythology source for this little piece of adventure was:
http://www.classicmylthology.org.
"blah" - verbal
`blah' - thoughts

The Challenge:

Joxer is transformed (and since it is the season.. at the Winter
Solstice) by an outside force.. it must be totally not related to the
present gods. You could do .. ancient talisman.. or Gaea.. or the
Titans.. or whatever.. but he is changed into the King of the Gods.
Zeus and Hera are not pleased.. and the rest of the pantheon is up in
arms over it. However, it seems that while a bit off as a mortal..
Joxer is more than just right for the position. He disciplines those
who need it.. makes peace and gets the respect he deserves from the
rest of the gods and from the other pantheon rulers.

1. He takes Ares as his Consort.
2. He stops the twilight of the gods.
3. He thumps Hercules but good.. making him finally realize how WRONG
he is.
4. He gets rid of Psyche.. or maybe just lets her be with someone
else.. your choice.
5. He gets Strife back and with Cupid where he belongs.

***

Prologue

***

"Are you pleased with your choice, Mother?" Tethys voice was cold, a
verbal slap to the woman who birthed her. "Your grandson has brought
our downfall. The Twilight is upon us."

"Whether the Twilight comes or not, you will still continue,
Daughter," Gaia replied unfazed.

"But my children will not!" she snapped.

"Tethys," Gaia said softly, "Do not despair. There is hope."

"What are you rambling about, Old Woman?"

"Did you really think I would allow such a travesty to continue
without reason?"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Tethys cried. "We are nearly out of
time!"

"I am waiting for Forgiveness and Mercy," she replied calmly.

"What?" Tethys asked shocked.

"The mortals are waiting, too."

"New Gods," Tethys realized. "They can stop the Twilight?"

"Not they, my dear, but he. He can stop the coming darkness." She
paused. "If he chooses to."

"One God for both godhoods? Do you realize the power he would
control?" Tethys' mouth opened in shock. "You're planning to put
him in place of Zeus!"

"You disapprove my plotting?" Gaia asked mildly.

"Not at all, Mother. I completely approve. If you require any
assistance in this matter, I would be happy to help," Tethys replied,
a small smile curving her mouth.

"Good. Because I will need your help. I will go to him soon. If he
accepts, I will share my knowledge with him. When I am done, I'd
like you to do the same."

Tethys blinked. "You must be joking. If you give him that
knowledge, there's no telling how he would use it against the other
Gods."

"I know he will not harm those who do not deserve it, Tethys. He is
Forgiveness and Mercy, whether he chooses to acknowledge it or not."

Tethys remained silent a moment, considering her mother's words.
Reluctantly, she nodded. "I will share my knowledge with him as
well." She paused, leveling a piercing stare at Gaia. "But if he
uses our knowledge for ill will, I shall not forgive you."

Gaia met her daughter's gaze and nodded. "I understand."

***

{3 days walk west from Argos}

Joxer the Mighty
He roams through the country side,
He never needs a place to hide.

With Gabby as his sidekick,
Fighting with her little stick

Righting wrongs and singing songs,
Being mighty all day long.

The voice is off-key, but the man's cheerfulness and enthusiasm make
up for his lack of talent. His armor is a mix-match of various
scraps of metal and clangs with his every movement. An easygoing
demeanor and a ready smile betray this man as a good one. He'd never
hesitate to give a helping hand to those who need it, and he'd
willingly sacrifice his own life to save a stranger or a friend,
whichever the case may be.

Gaia smiled when she saw him. She noticed he walked alone this day,
and for that reason her smile began to fade. The Winter Solstice was
tomorrow; Joxer should have been with his friends. She stayed with
him the rest of the day. When he stopped and made camp, she appeared
before him.

"Hello, Joxer."

He sprang to his feet, or he tried to anyway. He'd been sitting with
his legs crossed and only succeeded in tangling them further when he
tried to leap to his feet. He ended up in a heap on the ground.

Gaia smiled slightly and held out a hand to help him up.

"Er, hi?" he squeaked once he was standing.

"Do you know who I am?" Gaia asked.

"I'm sorry, Goddess, but uh, no?"

"That's quite all right, Joxer. I would have been surprised if you
recognized me. I'm Gaia." Joxer immediately started to fall to his
knees, but she stopped him. "No, Joxer. That isn't necessary. Come
sit with me." She led him back to his place by the fire and settled
down beside him. "I have a story I'd like to share with you."

"I'd be honored, Goddess," Joxer replied, his voice trembling
slightly.

She spoke to him of a world without the Gods, and as her tale
continued the sufferings of man increased until man destroyed
himself. And with his destruction, he took the few Gods that
survived the Twilight. Without the Gods, man had destroyed all life.

Gaia took in the appearance of the mortal beside her. He was pale
and trembling. She took his hands in hers. "Joxer that time is
almost upon us."

"Why are the Gods leaving us?" Joxer asked.

"They will not leave by choice, young one. Zeus has brought this
down upon them." She smiled slightly. "You are a favorite of the
Gods, Joxer. Do you really think they would willingly abandon their
favorites? Especially when they do so much to protect them?"

Joxer blushed and tried to pull his hands from her grasp. "I'm not a
favorite," he protested.

"You are," Gaia countered. "But let's leave that for another time."
She paused as she gathered her thoughts. "Joxer, there is one chance
to prevent the Twilight, but it will require that someone stand
against Zeus."

Joxer thought for a moment, then smiled happily. "You could ask Xena
or Hercules!"

Gaia shook her head. "No, Joxer. They could not carry the burdens
of the King of the Gods. Eventually, they would become just as
warped and twisted as Zeus."

Joxer thought again. "Well, you could ask Ares! He's next in line
anyways, right?"

"No, Joxer. Ares does not yet possess the patience to treat the
mortals as they should be treated. His rule would be bloody and
oppressive. Eventually, the mortals would be wiped out."

"Well, what about you?" Joxer tried again.

Gaia laughed. "No, I'm afraid not. I am much too old and much too
busy to try and handle the responsibilities of the King of the Gods."

Joxer was silent. "Then, there isn't anyone, is there? The Twilight
will come, and everyone will die."

"Joxer, I wouldn't have given you hope, if it wasn't there. There is
someone who could bear the burdens of the King of the Gods and still
treat the mortals as they should be treated."

"Who?" Joxer asked hopefully.

"The God of Forgiveness and Mercy."

Joxer frowned. "I've never heard of him before. It seems like he
would be very nice though. Are you going to ask him to go against
Zeus?"

"The reason why you haven't heard of him, little one, is because he
doesn't exist yet."

Joxer's hope deflated. "Oh. Zeus isn't going to let him be born is
he?"

"If Zeus knew, he'd kill the man before he could become a God," Gaia
acknowledged.

"So you need someone to protect him from Zeus! I could find Xena and
Hercules! I'm sure they would protect him."

Gaia smiled. "Joxer, you are the man who could become the God of
Forgiveness and Mercy."

Joxer stared at her in shock, then slowly shook his head. "No, I'm
sorry, Goddess, you must have made a mistake. I can't be a God. I'm
just Joxer," he protested. Once more, he tried to remove his hands
from her grasp.

Gaia wouldn't allow it. Her voice was calm and steady when she
answered him. "I know that you do not have much faith in yourself,
Joxer, but believe me when I say this: you are the man destined to
become the God of Forgiveness and Mercy. You are the only one who
can prevent the Twilight. I have faith in you, Joxer. Please, do
not turn from this. Please, accept your destiny and become a God."

Joxer stopped trying to free himself and grew very still. "If I
don't do this, everyone is going to die?"

"Yes, Joxer." Gaia tried to will away her tears as she ripped the
innocence from the man beside her. He remained still, and Gaia felt
a coldness seep into her soul. `Please, don't refuse!'

"Alright. What do I have to do?"

Gaia pulled him into her embrace. She could not prevent the tears of
relief and sorrow that escaped her.

***

{deep beneath the surface of the Earth}

"Come here, Joxer." Gaia beckoned him to her. "Lay down, and place
your head in my lap. It is time for you to sleep."

Joxer gazed curiously at her, before approaching and doing as she
said. For once he made no noise as he walked. His armor had been
replaced with soft linen pants and a long-sleeve linen shirt.

"Sleep, Joxer. Sleep and dream." Joxer's eyes closed and his
breathing evened out into sleep. "Sleep and learn all that I know.
Sleep."

***

{Summer Solstice}

Joxer's eyes slowly opened. His body felt stiff, and he tried to
stretch, but didn't seem to have the strength to manage it. Before
he could panic, he heard Gaia.

"Your muscles have atrophied. You've been sleeping for six months.
Be calm, I'll be right back." She carefully moved out from under him
and stood. She fetched a goblet and filled it with nectar then
carried it back to him. She helped him to sit up and drink from it.

His body glowed softly as it transformed and began to heal
itself. "What was that?" Joxer asked, surprised that his voice was
not rough from disuse.

"Nectar."

"I'm a God?"

"Yes. Have you regained the strength to stand?"

Joxer tested his limbs and then nodded. He stood, swaying slightly,
as he fought for balance. Gaia guided him to a chair and helped him
sit.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Hungry," he replied, a light blush spreading across his cheeks.

Gaia smiled and fetched some ambrosia for him. While he ate, she
spoke to him of his ascension. "You are a God now, but you have not
received a godhood yet."

"I know," he replied.

"Good. The knowledge transfer worked. Can you use your powers?"

Joxer stopped eating for a minute and thought about it. "Yes, I
believe so. Should I try it out?"

"No. I'm keeping your ascension concealed from Zeus, but if you were
to start using your gifts, I'm afraid it might draw his attention."

"Alright."

"I'm going to give you the first part of your godhood. Are you
ready?"

Joxer nodded; he'd already finished eating.

She held up a small gem for his viewing. It was a clear crystal,
possibly a diamond. "As forgiveness comes from within, so shall your
godhood rest within." She lifted his shirt and held the gem close to
his skin. It glowed and lifted from her hand.

The gem entered his body painlessly, but he could feel it's presence
within his heart. Every beat reminded him of the gem within. Every
beat would remind him to be forgiving.

She smiled at him. "Hello, Joxer, God of Forgiveness."

Joxer gave her a shaky smile in response.

"I will summon Tethys. She will guide you through the rest." Her
mind reached out and found her daughter. `Attend me, Tethys.'

A flash of light and the light scent of the sea filled the room.
Tethys glanced around, her gaze rested on the young God beside her
mother. "This is him?" she asked.

"Yes. Joxer, my daughter Tethys, Goddess of the Sea. Tethys, this
is Joxer, God of Forgiveness."

"Pleased to meet you," Joxer said respectfully.

Tethys smiled slightly, pleased at Joxer's behavior. She beckoned
him to her. "Come then, Joxer. It is time to learn once more."

***

{on the surface of the ocean floor, within the Palace of the Sea
Goddess}

"Come, Joxer, and lay your head upon my lap."

Joxer smiled slightly. "How long will I sleep this time?"

Tethys returned his smile. "I'm not sure."

Joxer lay his head in Tethys' lap.

"Sleep, Joxer. Sleep and dream." Joxer's eyes closed and his
breathing even out into sleep. "Sleep and learn all that I know.
And as you learn of me, so shall I learn of you. Sleep."

***

{Winter Solstice}

Joxer drifted awake. He stretched, feeling his muscles tighten and
then relax. He opened his eyes and saw Tethys smiling down at
him. "How long was I asleep?"

"Six months. Today is the Winter Solstice."

Joxer sat up and stretched again. "Could I have something to drink?
Gaia didn't want me to use my powers."

"Sure," Tethys replied and conjured a goblet with nectar in it. She
stood up, while Joxer sipped his drink, and held a pearl up for his
inspection. "Are you ready for the next part of your godhood?"

Joxer set the goblet aside and stood. "I'm ready."

"Mercy can only be found within, so your godhood will only be found
within." She held the pearl up to his forehead.

The pearl glowed and then lifted from her hand. It passed painlessly
into his body, but he could feel it's presence in his head, reminding
him at all times to be merciful.

Tethys smiled. "Hello, Joxer, God of Forgiveness and Mercy."

Joxer returned her smile easily.

Tethys' smile increased at that display of confidence and acceptance,
so out-of-character for the mortal he had been. The God before her
was nearly whole. He had only to take the last part from Zeus and
assimilate it into his godhood.

"I shall call Mother, and then it will begin." Tethys summoned her
mother, and Gaia appeared before them.

Gaia embraced the young God. "Are you ready, my dear?"

"Yes, Gaia, I'm ready."

"Oh, none of that Gaia nonsense, darling, call me Mother."

Joxer smiled. "Yes, Mother."

Tethys snickered. Gaia glared at her, but her eyes were sparkling
with mischief and delight. The three sobered as they began to
plan. "We shall summon all the Gods, and continue to keep your power
signature hidden. When all have arrived, we will enter the throne
room."

"You won't have much time before someone manages to see past our
veil, Joxer. You must act quickly," Tethys continued where her
mother left off.

"I know," Joxer said and clasped her hands in his.

"I know you know, I'm just a little worried. What can I say, I've
never plotted to overthrow someone before."

"Well, I have, and this will be a piece of cake, trust me."

Joxer smiled at Gaia's confidence. "Whenever you're ready, Mother."

"Let us begin."

***

"Do you know what's going on?"

Ares glanced at his sister and then turned his attention back to the
twin thrones. "I can tell you they aren't the ones who called this
little `get-together.' What do you know?"

Eris glanced at her brother and then returned her attention to their
parents. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." They were silent a moment
before Eris spoke again. "You know what that means. It means `she'
called us all together." Ares didn't respond. "So what does she
want?" Ares glared at her, and Eris shut-up.

The doors to the room opened and Gaia and Tethys entered accompanied
by a familiar looking mortal. Ares frowned as he struggled to place
where he had seen the mortal before. They reached the dais quickly.
Ares began to send out a tiny tendril of power when the mortal lifted
his hand and Zeus was struck by a tremendous blast of power.

Shock prevented anyone from reacting until it was too late. Zeus lay
slumped across his throne and the symbol of his status as King of the
Gods now rested on the brow of the unknown God. Ares was one of the
few Gods who knew that the crown was more than just a status symbol,
it was also the symbol of a godhood. Zeus now held only the power of
a simple sky god, and this unknown now had his own power, which was
significant in its own right, and the power of the King of the Gods.

"Zeus has been stripped of his position," Gaia spoke firmly. "He is
no longer King of the Gods."

Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, stared appalled at the slumped figure
of her father on his throne, weak and helpless. She shouted a battle
cry and charged the unknown God. She heard similar cries from some
of her fellow Olympians. They would take this upstart young God down
to size.

The massive wave of power that struck her sent her crashing down into
the floor and crushing the marble beneath her body. The Goddess of
the Hunt lay unconscious, only her immortality saved her. Other Gods
and Goddess lay in battered repose about the room including Athena,
Goddess of Wisdom and Apollo, God of the Sun.

"Is there anyone else who would contest me?" Joxer asked looking
about at the stunned Olympians, his gaze settling on the God of War.
Ares had not joined the charge to defend Zeus and stopped his sister
from joining in as well.

"Those who have challenged have fallen," Tethys said calmly. "All
hail Joxer, God of Forgiveness and Mercy, King of the Gods."

***

***

Chapter One

***

Joxer watched as Aesclepius, God of Healing, treated the injuries of
the fallen Gods and Goddesses. There were eleven, twelve including
Zeus. Joxer had dismissed the other Olympians to their Temples or to
their Palaces depending upon the individual. Gaia and Tethys were
examining Zeus to see if there was anything salvageable about the
former ruler.

Joxer released a soft sigh and knelt down beside Artemis. He cupped
her cheek in his hand and then allowed his godhoods to guide him.
When he was finished, he looked up and saw Aesclepius watching
him. "I granted her mercy from the pain. I have not your gifts. I
do what I can."

Aesclepius frowned slightly as he watched the young ruler at work.
While his patients would recover, they were immortal after all, it
would be a painful process. Or rather it would have been. This
young God was not like his fellow Olympians. "Forgiveness and
Mercy?" Aesclepius asked after a while.

Joxer turned to look at the Healing God. In those eyes he saw a
flicker of hope. He smiled. "Yes. Forgiveness and Mercy."

Aesclepius nodded and gave a hesitant smile. 'Olympus needs both.
Perhaps, he could prevent the Twilight.'

***

Athena appeared before Joxer as he commanded. Her injuries were
healing, and she wasn't in much pain. Aesclepius had informed her
that she had her new ruler to thank for that. The Goddess of Wisdom
did not know what to make of this new God.

"Athena," he greeted her. He stood and took her arm, guiding her to
a chair opposite the desk he had been behind. This had been Zeus'
office, and now it would be Joxer's.

"How would you like me to call you?" she asked after a moment.

"Call me Joxer," he replied easily. He sat down behind his desk.

"Joxer it is then. Why have you summoned me?"

Joxer's easy smile faded. "To discuss your godhood."

Athena felt fear grip her. "You cannot take my godhood!"

"I wasn't planning to. However, if I feel it becomes necessary, I
will take it from you. I don't want to do that."

Athena fought to calm her racing heart. "Why else would you want to
discuss it?"

"You are not doing your job as well as you should," he began.

She stiffened and began to defend herself. "How--"

"Silence!" he cut her off. "You pick and choose who you shall aid
among the mortals, playing favorites among your fellow Gods, using
your talents and knowledge for petty squabbles."

Athena felt the bite of each word. Quickly analyzing her past
actions to try and mount some defense, she found she could not.

"Athena, this is something I will not tolerate in the pantheon. I
cannot allow it to be divided. We must be united, and we must change
the way we treat the mortals. It is the only way to prevent the
Twilight."

"I understand," she said after a moment.

"Good. I would like to have the council of the Goddess of Wisdom."

Athena met his gaze. "You shall have it."

Joxer stood and helped her rise. He kept a grip on her arm and
guided her out of the room and into the adjoining chamber. He
conjured a chaise and helped her sit. "Rest here. I shall need your
assistance soon."

"Of course."

"Thank you, Athena."

She blinked in surprise, then nodded hesitantly. "You're welcome,
Joxer."

***

Athena could hear the happenings in Joxer's office, and she could
only assume he had placed her there for that purpose. Every single
God and Goddess made an appearance in that office, except for the
Twelve, bar her of course. Each person was given a lecture on their
behavior, what was expected of them, and an evaluation of their
godhood. Very few were complimentary and one godhood was even
removed.

Psyche, Goddess of the Mind, had been stripped of all of her godly
powers. She was still immortal, but no longer a Goddess. Her ties
to Cupid had also been severed, and she was banned from seeing her
son, Bliss. Joxer had then sent her to Greece, telling her that
until she could repent, she was not welcome on Olympus.

Athena agreed with Joxer's judgment. Psyche had not stayed true to
her marriage vows; she ignored Bliss most of the time, and rarely did
anything to help the mortals. Her time was spent chasing around
various Gods and seducing them. She could care less if any mortal
lived or died.

Eventually, Joxer returned. "Were you able to hear everything?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'm going to begin calling the remaining Twelve. I'm afraid
that some will not leave with their godhoods intact." Athena
remained silent. "Correct me if I am wrong, but are not the godhoods
of Retribution, Vegetation, and Mischief unclaimed?"

"Yes, they are all unclaimed."

"I truly hope I will not be removing too many more godhoods. It will
be hard to fill them all." He returned to his office and summoned
Zeus.

Athena listened as each new member of the Twelve appeared. Joxer
gave them by far the harshest criticisms. Zeus' time as King of the
Gods had twisted him so horribly that Joxer was forced to strip him
of his godhood. Now there were five godhoods waiting to be claimed.
Aphrodite was subdued during her interview, and Joxer was very kind
to her. Athena realized that they knew each other before Joxer
became a God. Aphrodite's faults lay in her treatment of the
mortals, and as with all the other Gods before her, he explained that
he realized they were following the example that Zeus had set. She
was told to remember that the mortals were sentient beings and to
treat them as she would want to be treated. Athena realized that her
previous assumption that the Love Goddess was an idiot was completely
wrong. Aphrodite did her job very, very well.

Hermes and surprisingly Ares were also given light lectures. Once
more Athena was forced to reevaluate the qualities of her fellow
Gods. Demeter was given a lecture that should have left blisters on
the woman's skin. Apollo's was no better. Artemis' was only
marginally better. Poseidon was charged with ignoring his duties to
the mortals. Hephaestus was encouraged to expand what he already did
so that more mortals could benefit from his benevolence. Hera was
the last of the Twelve to enter Joxer's office.

Hera's interview was cold, concise, and to the point. She had failed
in all aspects of her godhood. "The sins of the father are not the
sins of the children," Joxer told her. Her godhood was not one of
revenge and her thirst for vengeance had tainted her godhood nearly
beyond repair. Her treatment of the mortals was nearly as bad as
Zeus' had been. However, Joxer gave her one last chance to prove
herself. She would retain the godhoods of Marriage and Childbirth,
and she would, of course, lose the part of her godhood that she had
been given when she became Queen of the Gods. Joxer did give her one
small bit of happiness: he dissolved the marriage between her and
Zeus.

When Hera left, Joxer returned to Athena. "Your assessment?"

"I agree with your judgments, Joxer, but I do not have your faith in
Hera. I don't believe she is capable of making such a radical
change."

Joxer sighed and conjured a chair. He sank down into it. "I don't
believe she is capable either. However, Gaia and Tethys want her to
have one more chance, and I feel as though I should give her some
mercy after all that Zeus put her through."

Athena nodded. "You realize also that while they listened to your
lectures and rules, some of them are plotting against you."

Joxer nodded. "Yes, I know. Ares will be one of my main
opponents." He stood. "There is one last God to visit." He held
out a hand and helped her up.

He transported them to the Underworld. Before Hades could speak,
Joxer conjured a chair for Athena and helped her into it.

"Why are you here, King of the Gods? Come to take my throne as
well?" Hades demanded. He was confused as to Joxer's behavior and to
Athena's presence.

"No, Hades, I find very little at fault with you." Joxer waited
until Hades seemed slightly calmer before continuing. "I have come
to request the return of one of your shades."

Hades sat down on his throne and stared at the new ruler
speculatively. "Which one?"

"Strife, the dead God of Mischief."

Hades was extremely surprised. He was expecting the young God to ask
for the return of a friend or a lover, possibly a family member. He
could tell by her expression that Athena was surprised as well.

"Why do you want him returned to life?"

"Because the godhood of Mischief remains unclaimed and I want the
best person for the job."

Hades considered carefully. The new ruler would then owe him one for
this favor, and it would get the meddlesome ex-god out of his
domain. He called up Strife's shade and restored it to life.

"What's going on?" Strife demanded as he tried to adjust to being
suddenly brought back to life. "Joxer?" he gaped, finally noticing
the ex-mortal.

"Strife, your godhood has been restored to you," Joxer said handing
over the symbol of Mischief's godhood. "Please return to Olympus,
Zeus' office. All will be explained shortly."

Strife glanced at the other two gods who gestured for him to go on
and disappeared.

Joxer turned back to Hades. "Thank you, Hades. To show my
appreciation, I will grant your request from long ago. Despite her
mother's protests, Persephone is free to come and go as she pleases
all year round. It is now her choice when she wants to leave your
side."

Hades stared at Joxer dumbstruck. Now he felt as though he owed
Joxer a favor, although this had been for returning Strife to
life. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Joxer summoned Persephone and informed her of his decision. He then
helped Athena to her feet and transported them to his office, leaving
the couple to their celebration.

***

"Athena, please inform Strife of what has occurred. I need to
discuss with Gaia and Tethys what should be done with Zeus."

"Yes, Joxer."

"What in Tartarus is going on?" Strife demanded the second Joxer
disappeared.

"Joxer is the new King of the Gods," Athena said as she carefully sat
down.

"You all just let him take over?" Strife asked shocked.

Athena scowled. "Of course not! What do you think happened to me?
I'm not some clumsy oaf, you know! I was unconscious for four hours,
and the only reason why I am up and moving around is because Joxer
granted me mercy from the pain."

"What happened?"

"We were all summoned to the throne room. No one knew why, though I
am sure that I was not the only one who realized Zeus was not the one
who issued the summoning. Gaia and Tethys waited until everyone was
there before they showed up with Joxer. We thought he was just a
mortal. They were hiding his power signature. They weren't even in
the room a full minute before Joxer attacked. He had Zeus' crown
before we could react."

"Shit," Strife breathed.

"Artemis led the attack. He took eleven of us out at once, and no
one dared challenge him after that."

"Is Unc' all right?"

"He didn't join in the attack," Athena sneered.

"Then he must have had a reason," Strife snapped.

"No, he just had more brains than the rest of us."

Strife didn't know what to say to that.

Athena seemed to realize that and continued her narrative. "Once he
was officially recognized as King of the Gods, he dismissed everyone
from the room. He and Aesclepius patched us up and sent us off too.
He's spoken to every God and Goddess about their behavior and what is
expected of them under his rule. A few had their godhoods removed
and others are close to having theirs taken as well."

"Who?"

"Psyche and Zeus. That's five godhoods now that are empty, well,
four now that you're back."

"So the bitch is gone. Good," Strife said pleased.

"My thoughts exactly."

Strife frowned slightly, studying the Wise Goddess. She wasn't
acting like he expected. "So why are you hanging around with him?
Hoping to stab him in the back?"

"No. Trying to prevent anyone else from doing it."

"Why?"

"Well, for one, I believe he could prevent the Twilight." She paused
and allowed that statement to settle for Strife. "And two, because
he's right. We have been mistreating the mortals, and we have
allowed pettiness to influence our decisions. We are a pantheon made
up of constantly changing factions, backstabbing, and cruelty. I
don't want to be a part of that anymore. It's in no way wise, and I
was a fool for not seeing it sooner."

Joxer reappeared in his office. Due to the nature of transporting
and needing to feel for where you're planning on appearing, he heard
Athena's last few statements. He walked over to her and placed a
comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, 'Thena.
Everyone needs a kick in the ass on occasion."

Athena felt a small smile of amusement slip past her, but then
remembered that she no longer had to watch herself at all times. And
what a freeing concept that was: she could be herself. Yet, after
all this time, did she even remember who she was?

"Strife," Joxer said, turning to the other occupant of his
office. "I think you were doing an absolutely superb job, you even
treated the mortals correctly. Torturing only those who were
supposed to be tortured. You also took your duties towards the
children very seriously. I wanted you back at your post because you
were the best for the job. There was no politics involved in my
reasons for wanting you back. You don't owe me and neither does your
Uncle. Do you understand me?"

"Yea," Strife replied. He really, really, REALLY didn't get this ex-
mortal, but then, well, he never had.

Joxer summoned Gaia and Tethys to him. "I'd like the five of us to
come up with suitable replacements for the four godhoods that are
unclaimed: Sky, Mind, Vegetation, and Retribution. Suggestions?"

Surprise kept Strife and Athena silent at first, while Gaia and
Tethys considered possible choices. "There is a farmer just outside
Athens who possesses the qualities one would want in the God of
Vegetation," Gaia said after a moment. "His name is Zeraclies."

"I know the man," Athena said. "I agree. I believe he is a likely
candidate."

"When we are done here, Gaia, I'd like you to go talk to him and feel
him out. If he accepts, bring him to my office." Gaia
nodded. "Next?"

"I don't know if you've thought about this and dismissed it already,"
Strife said, his interest spiked enough to help the new ruler, "But
Xena wouldn't make a bad Goddess of the Mind."

"The likelihood of her agreeing is very slim, but it is definitely
worth exploring," Joxer agreed. "I'll talk to her."

"If you're going to look at Greece's heroes for ideas, there is also
Iolaus," Athena said. "As God of Retribution."

"Yes," Joxer nodded. "Will you be up to talking with him?"

"I think I can manage it," she replied.

"All the same, I'd like you to take Strife with you, just in case."

"Alright."

"And Sky?" Joxer prompted.

"Cycrops," Tethys replied. "He's already immortal even, and he's
free from Poseidon's curse now."

"Will you speak to him? If he agrees, bring him here."

"Of course," Tethys replied.

"Everyone know what they're doing?" When he received affirmatives
from his four advisors, he rubbed his hands briskly together. "Well,
then, let's go get us some Gods!"



Title: King of the Gods (2/?)
Author: Artemis Luna Diana
Email: artemislunadiana@yahoo.com
Rating: R
Fandom: Xena/Herc.
Pairing: Ares/Joxer, Cupid/Strife
Disclaimer: I own not a thing.
Warning: homosexuality, sex, reference to character death
Summary: Challenge response to Shadwmage7: Joxer becomes King of the
Gods.
Status: WIP
Archive: AJCS, all others please ask.
Website: and

Thanks to: BlackUmbridge for the excellent beta.
Notes: My mythology source for this little piece of adventure was:

"blah" - verbal
'blah' - thoughts

***

Chapter Two

***

Joxer took a deep breath and began searching for his mortal friends.
He found them easily enough: Xena, Gabrielle, and Hercules were
camped just south of Thebes and Iolaus was just a day's travel behind
them. He and Hercules must have split up for a bit and agreed to
meet in the city, and Hercules must have run into Xena and Gabrielle
on their way to the Winter Solstice Festival being held there.

He was relieved in a way that Hercules had met up with them because
it meant neither Hercules nor Gabrielle would be alone if Xena and
Iolaus agreed to become Gods.

Joxer transported himself down to their campsite, invisible to mortal
eyes. He immediately cast deep sleep spells on Hercules and
Gabrielle. He saw Xena twitch in her sleep and realized that the
ever-alert demigoddess had already sensed his presence. He decided
to wait for her to wake up on her own.

Xena woke, senses on alert. Something was not right. She carefully
and quietly got up, her sword at the ready.

"Hello, Xena."

She whirled around and her eyes narrowed. "Jett. How did you get
out of prison?"

Joxer stared at her in surprise and then looked down at himself. He
was dressed in black leather pants and a cream colored shirt with
long sleeves that hung very loosely on his frame. Black boots
completed the ensemble. "I'm not Jett; I'm Joxer," he said. He
didn't think he looked like Jett. Sure, he wasn't wearing his armor,
but otherwise he was still basically the same. Had his demeanor
changed so much with his elevation to King of the Gods?

Perhaps it was his honest confusion that convinced her, but for
whatever reason he was grateful as well as touched when she came and
embraced him.

The slap to the back of the head was also comforting. "Where have
you been?" she demanded. "No one has heard from you for over a
year. Autolycus said you were supposed to meet him for the Winter
Solstice in Tegea and never showed! We thought you were dead!"

"Sorry, Xena. I didn't mean to worry you. I'll apologize to
Autolycus as soon as possible."

Xena smiled ruefully, threw an arm around his shoulders, and guided
him to the fire. "Come on; tell me what you've been doing. I won't
be able to sleep until I know what happened to you."

Joxer smiled hesitantly. "That could take awhile."

"Joxer are you in any kind of trouble? Is anyone after you?" Xena
asked concerned.

"Trouble? Definitely. Someone after me? Most definitely."

"What happened?"

"I was about three days travel from Argos, nearly to Tegea, on my way
to meet Autolycus for the Winter Solstice, when I ran into someone
unexpected."

"Who?"

"Gaia."

"The Goddess?!"

"Yes."

"Joxer, please tell me you haven't gotten messed up with the Gods."

Joxer didn't reply.

Xena closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "What did she want?"
Xena asked calmly, focusing back on Joxer.

"She made me a God."

Xena blinked. "You're a-" she couldn't manage to finish the question.

"God. To be specific, the God of Forgiveness and Mercy."

Xena's expression softened. "I can understand why she'd offer that
to you." She frowned. "Wait a minute, why did Gaia come to you?
Shouldn't Zeus have been the one who made you a God? I mean this was
planned wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was planned, but it was planned without Zeus."

"Joxer," Xena breathed.

"It's okay, Xena. Zeus isn't the problem."

Xena let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been
holding. "That's good. With Zeus behind you, you're safe from the
other Gods."

Joxer was silent once more.

Her eyes widened. "He isn't behind you? I thought you said he
wasn't a problem?!"

"He isn't a problem because he isn't the King of the Gods anymore,"
Joxer said mildly.

"Then who is? Ares?"

Joxer took the glamour off his forehead revealing the crown.

"By the Gods," Xena breathed. "Ares is going to kill you."

"I'm sure he's figuring out how to do that as we speak." Joxer
sighed. "Let me start from the beginning. It won't make much sense
without the details."

Once he finished his tale, Xena remained quiet for a few moments, and
Joxer let her have her time to think, enjoying being in the presence
of his friends. When she looked up and meet his gaze, Joxer tensed
slightly.

"What can I do?"

Joxer's tension drained from him. "I hope that you'll consent to
return to Olympus with me."

"Go to Olympus? I don't know what good that would do," Xena replied
bemused.

"Going as mortal, it wouldn't do much. Going as Goddess of the Mind,
it would do a great deal."

Xena leaned back on her hands as she thought, her brow pinched
slightly in concentration. Her gaze wandered around the camp and
landed on their sleeping friends. "What about them?"

"They aren't meant for Olympus. They wouldn't be able to handle
it." Joxer leaned back on his hands, matching Xena's pose. "Have
you ever heard someone say 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely?'"

"Then what about you? What about me?"

"I have no choice. My godhoods constantly remind me of how I should
behave. I can't be corrupted by a want for power. You have had
power, and you turned away from it. That is what makes you different
from them. Your control and perseverance make you an excellent
choice for Goddess of the Mind." Joxer hesitated before
continuing. "And, I need you. I don't have a lot of time. Ares is
planning something; I'm sure of it."

"I never thought that I would ever be placed in this position," Xena
said softly. "I have to figure out where I can do the most good.
There are disadvantages to accepting this, but I have to believe that
the advantages make it worth it. I'll become your Goddess, Joxer."

Joxer materialized a goblet filled with nectar and handed it to
Xena. She stared at the contents intently, trying to make sure that
this was the right choice. She drained the goblet.

Joxer stood and then held out a hand to help Xena to her feet. "It's
best that they don't know what is going on until the problems on
Olympus are resolved," Joxer said quietly. "Is there anything you
want to take with you?"

Xena walked over to her pack and selected a few things: stuff that
Gabrielle had given her as well as things from some of her other
friends. She gave Argo a fond pat and told her that Gabrielle would
look after her. Then Joxer transported them to his office on Olympus.

The two heroes slept on.

***

Iolaus stared at the two Gods sitting across his campfire. Now if it
had just been Strife, perhaps he could have dismissed it as a joke,
but when a seriously weak Goddess of Wisdom is agreeing with his
story, the God of Mischief seems a lot more creditable.

"Joxer is the King of the Gods?" Iolaus repeated.

Strife rolled his eyes. "Do you want to retract your nomination of
the little hunter, Arty?"

"Don't call me that," Athena snapped irritably.

"Touche!" Strife replied with a slightly insane-looking grin.

Athena shot him a disgusted look before returning her attention to
the gob-smacked mortal. "For the thousandth time, YES!"

"And he wants me to become one too?"

Both Gods replied, "YES!"

"Why?"

Strife groaned. "Do we really have to explain this again?"

"And just out of curiosity, why are you helping Joxer? Shouldn't you
be helping Ares to overthrow him?"

Strife eyed the mortal speculatively. He was beginning to see the
potential Athena saw in him. "Unc' doesn't know I'm back yet, and I
owe Joxer for getting me out of the Underworld."

"So until Ares says stop, you're going to help Joxer? That seems...
pointless," Iolaus said, truly confused.

"It's Olympian politics," Athena said with a sigh.

"Is it the same with you?"

"No. I truly support Joxer's reign." She met the gaze of the mortal
man. "And I can tell you truthfully that he will need you by his
side. He needs all the help he can get."

"Ares is a formidable opponent," Strife said neutrally.

"Well, what about Hercules? And Xena?"

"Joxer himself has gone to Xena," Athena replied. "I don't know if
she will accept." She shrugged slightly. "As to Hercules... Joxer
didn't even consider him. He didn't say why either. He could have
been used to replace Zeus as God of the Sky, but Joxer didn't bring
up his name, and neither did anyone else. You and Xena were the only
ones considered from your foursome."

Iolaus frowned. "Why?"

Strife scowled. "We don't know. How many times do we gotta say it?"

"If you want to wait to give your answer until after you ask him,
Iolaus, that is acceptable. Joxer didn't give us the authority to
make you a God. I think he wanted to be sure that you knew what you
were getting into."

"So what? You'll take me to him?"

"Yes. We'll take you to his office. We're all supposed to meet back
there," Athena replied.

Iolaus thought for a moment before slowly replying, "I'm not saying
yes, but I'll go with you and talk to Joxer."

"Good," Strife said and jumped to his feet. "I want to get out of
here before Unc' finds me."

***

When Xena and Joxer flashed into his office, they found four Gods and
three mortals waiting for them. Xena immediately clasped arms with
Cycrops and then Iolaus.

"Well Xena, to be honest, I didn't expect to see you here," Iolaus
said.

She gave a slight smile, then turned her attention to her fellow
Gods. "I'm glad you're back, Strife."

Strife feigned a sniffle. "I believe that's the nicest thing you've
ever said to me."

Xena grinned. "Athena," she said, acknowledging the obviously weak
Goddess of Wisdom.

Joxer quickly introduced her to Gaia and Tethys, and the Mind Goddess
greeted them as well. Gaia introduced Cycrops and Zeraclies to
Joxer, and the King gave them both comforting smiles: both men were
very tense. He clasped arms with Iolaus and apologized for worrying
the hunter with his disappearance. Iolaus laughingly demanded that
he never do it again, and Joxer agreed.

Then things grew serious. Joxer conjured a table large enough for
them all and began a question-answer session with the prospective
Gods. After nearly three hours of talking, all three agreed to
become Gods. Joxer was even more grateful that Xena had accepted her
godhood, because without her, he doubted Iolaus would have accepted.
The two had come a long way since their troubled beginnings.

When the three men had either drank nectar or eaten ambrosia, Joxer
began assigning teachers to the new Gods. He took Xena under his own
tutelage. Zeraclies was Gaia's responsibility; Cycrops was Tethys'.
Athena became Iolaus' mentor.

After everyone but Strife and Xena had left, Joxer turned to
Xena. "Wait here for a bit. It's time Strife's presence was
announced." After receiving Xena's nod, Joxer transported the
Mischief God and himself to the Halls of War.

He found just what he had expected: Ares, Eris, Demios, and Phobus,
all plotting. Beyond the first brief flicker of surprise, none of
the four allowed him to see them unsettled. Joxer smirked; they
hadn't noticed Strife yet.

"Ares," Joxer said and grabbed Strife by the shoulder. "I believe
this belongs to you." He shoved Strife at the group and then stayed
long enough to see the shock on Ares face before flashing out.

***



Title: King of the Gods (3/?)
Author: Artemis Luna Diana
Email: artemislunadiana@yahoo.com
Rating: R
Fandom: Xena/Herc.
Pairing: Ares/Joxer, Cupid/Strife
Disclaimer: I own not a thing.
Warning: homosexuality, sex, reference to character death
Summary: Challenge response to Shadwmage7: Joxer becomes King of the
Gods.
Status: WIP
Archive: AJCS, all others please ask.
Website: and

Thanks to: BlackUmbridge for the excellent beta.
Notes: My mythology source for this little piece of adventure was:

"blah" - verbal
'blah' - thoughts

***

Chapter Three

***

"Considering that Psyche lived with Cupid, when she bothered to go
home anyway, the Mind godhood does not have a Temple attached to it.
For now at least, you can stay with me in my Temple. Once you've
finished your training, you can move out, or you can stay. It'll be
your choice." Joxer said as he flashed the two of them to the home
of the King of the Gods.

Joxer and Xena looked around the extravagant Temple. "There's no
question who this belonged to," Xena said dryly and gestured to the
overly large statue of Zeus.

As the two explored the Temple, Joxer began explaining the
relationships that had existed on Olympus before their ascension, so
Xena would have a better idea of whom to expect trouble from. After
they finished exploring, they ended up in Zeus' former bedchamber.
Joxer explained what he was doing and how he was doing it, as he rid
the room of all its furniture and trappings. Left with a blank
canvas, he began redecorating. He stuck with the basics: a bed and a
mirror. He would create more furniture as it was needed. The color
scheme was white, blue, and gold.

Once Joxer was done, they went to the next room where Xena tried her
hand at redecorating her new bedroom. As Joxer had done before her,
she got rid of the furniture. You never knew if Zeus had
been "visiting" his guests, and she most certainly did not want to
sleep in a bed that Zeus had been in. Blood and gore may not make
her squeamish, but thoughts of that dirty old man certainly did.
Xena also kept things simple: a bed, that took a few tries to make
properly; a mirror, which she needed Joxer's help on, and a stand for
her armor and weapons, which she got on the first try. Her room was
done in dark gray, dark blue, and dark purple.

Once she was finished, Joxer returned to his own chambers and slowly
allowed sleep to claim him.

***

Strife didn't know quite what to think or even what to feel. He
guessed it was shock finally settling in. Delayed reaction and all
that. He knew that in their own way his family cared for him, but
he'd never expected... his mother had cried over him. Had he been
mortal, she would have crushed him within her embrace. Phobus and
Demios had clutched the two of them sobbing.

He didn't know which frightened him more: his mother crying or the
Gods of Fear and Panic. Even Ares hadn't been unmoved. After the
shock wore off, the God of War had petted his head and his eyes had
seemed a bit misty. But the God of War crying? Over him?

Strife kept expecting to wake up from some seriously twisted dream,
but it just wasn't happening.

Ares had sent everyone to bed, and Eris had dragged Strife with her.
He had vague memories of his mother allowing him to sleep with her
when he had still been young, but by the time he was five it was a
thing never mentioned and never allowed.

It had taken awhile for Eris to fall asleep, and the death grip she
had on him to ease. He carefully got out of the bed and crept out of
the room. As he figured, Ares was still awake and, from the
expression on the War God's face, was thinking again.

"What does he want in return?" Ares asked and gestured for Strife to
take the seat opposite him.

"He said he doesn't want anything, that you don't owe him anything.
He brought me back for his own reasons."

"Did he say what they were?"

"That he wanted the best person for the job, and I was the best for
my godhood. He's filled all the vacancies."

Ares frowned. "Do you know who they are?"

"Some guy named Zeraclies is the new God of Vegetation. Cycrops is
the new God of the Sky. Iolaus is Retribution, and Xena is Goddess
of the Mind."

"Xena? What happened to Psyche?"

"Joxer stripped her of her godhood and banished her from Olympus.
Cut all her ties to Olympus, too."

"Well, that's something at least," Ares muttered, his distaste for
his ex-daughter-in-law showing through. "Do you know what happened
to Zeus?"

"Only that he was stripped of his godhood."

Ares was quite a moment. "We have to act quickly before he gains any
allies among the other gods."

"It's too late. He's already got them."

"Who?" Ares demanded.

"To begin with, Gaia and Tethys didn't just use him to get rid of
Zeus. They're completely in support of his rule. Which means that
anyone who follows their example is now behind Joxer. He's got
Athena completely in his corner as well. She talks about him like
he's... I dunno how to describe it. I've never heard her so
respectful of anyone. And from something she said, I think
Aesclepius will support him too."

Ares stood and began to pace. "Considering Aphrodite's previous
encounters with him, she'll probably join his supporters too."

"Joxer was one of her favorites."

Ares head snapped up, and he pinned Strife with a look of
frustration. "I didn't know that," he admitted and began
pacing. "Aphrodite is definitely a lost cause then."

"If he's got Aphrodite, he's also got Hephaestus and Hestia," Strife
pointed out.

Both Gods looked up as they heard someone enter the room. Demios
gave them a shaky smile.

"I thought I told you to get some rest," Ares chastised.

"Couldn't sleep," the younger God replied with a shrug of his
shoulders. "I went to the Underworld instead. Joxer's got Hades and
Persephone."

Ares gave in and punched the wall. He fixed the resulting hole with
a thought. "If he's got them, he's got the Underworld."

"That leaves our allies and Apollo and Artemis' group," Strife said,
pointing out how thoroughly Joxer had taken over.

"There's no one else?" Demios asked shocked.

"Hera and her supporters," Ares replied disgusted. "Demeter, maybe
Poseidon. It depends on whether or not he follows Tethys' example."

"Joxer wants the pantheon to be united. He's going to be thinking of
ways to bring everyone else into his fold. That includes us," Strife
informed them.

"How's he going to do that?" Demios asked.

"He's probably going to start off by marrying people off," Strife
replied.

"Including himself. The position of Queen of the Gods has to be
filled," Ares continued.

"Well, who's he going to marry?" Demios asked.

Ares returned to his seat and exchanged a look with his first
lieutenant. "Artemis," Strife offered.

"Hebe," Ares continued.

"Mom."

"Demeter."

"That's disgusting!" Demios gasped at Ares' suggestion.

Strife giggled.

"He'll probably use Iolaus, Xena, and Athena for marriage bargains,"
Ares said, ignoring Demios' reaction.

"Oooo, Unc' you could end up with Athena for a wife!" Strife said and
began laughing hysterically.

"Okay, that's enough," Ares said, putting a halt to the speculation.

It was silent a moment, before Demios spoke again. "How did he do
it?"

"What?" Strife asked, glancing at his cousin.

"How did he beat Zeus?"

"His power base is extremely strong. Even if he only had one of the
godhoods, he'd still be very strong," Ares replied.

"Well, yeah, I knew that. I meant, how did he learn how to use his
powers without Zeus or anyone else finding out?"

Ares stared at Demios in shock.

"Tethys and Gaia were shielding him," Strife replied.

"No. Zeus would have found out the second Joxer started using his
powers. The first time he used his powers was when he attacked Zeus."

"But that's impossible," Strife said confused. "No one instinctively
knows how to be a God. Everyone has to be trained."

Ares stood up. "We need to see what we can find out from the Halls
of Time and if the Fates will tell us anything. Demios, you go see
the Fates."

"Okay, Dad," he said and disappeared.

"What about me? Halls of Time?" Strife prompted.

"You are going back to bed."

Strife blinked, but before he could comment, Ares continued.

"I don't want Eris to wake up and you be gone."

Strife nodded slowly. "Okay."

Ares pulled Strife into a quick embrace. "I'm glad you're back," he
said then flashed out.

Strife remained frozen for a moment. His family had always been very
respectful to each other, but they had never been affectionate. He
just didn't know how to cope with all this excess mushiness from his
Uncle and his cousins. He returned to his mother's room and climbed
back into her bed. Without waking, his mother pulled him back into
her embrace. Strife didn't know how long his mother would remain
affectionate, but he'd take advantage of this little bit of
happiness. He burrowed deeper into her embrace and breathed in her
scent. For the first time in a long time, he felt safe.

***

Joxer woke an hour before dawn. He tensed, unsure what woke him, and
rose from his bed, dressing himself with a thought. He padded out to
the main chamber and found Aphrodite pacing in front of Zeus'
statue. When she sensed him, she stopped and turned to face him.

"Did I wake you?"

"It's alright," he soothed. "What's wrong?"

"I keep thinking about what you did for Cupid, and I couldn't figure
out why you did it, and then I realized that you're going to marry
the opposing sides together, and if Cupid is no longer married then
you could use him as one of those to be married, and I wanted to ask
you not to. Please, Joxer, don't make my son marry. Psyche really
hurt him, and I couldn't bear to see it happen again. I mean Cupid
would be faithful, but whoever you married him to wouldn't be. No
one in the pantheon remains faithful, unless they're in love, and
even then it's not a sure thing, and he's just not ready to deal with
it all over again, and he's still got Bliss to care for, and I'll do
whatever you want me to Joxer so long as you don't force Cupid to
wed."

As Aphrodite paused to take a breath, Joxer held up a hand. "Stop."
He guided her to a seat and then thought how best to proceed. "I am
planning on using marriage to tie the pantheon together, but Cupid
was not one of the ones I was considering. I separated Psyche and
Cupid because that was part of her punishment when I removed her
godhood."

"Wait," Aphrodite said. "You removed her godhood?"

Joxer frowned. "Yes. I assumed you knew, since you know they are no
longer married."

"Cupid came to me when he felt their bond break. Neither one of us
knew her godhood had been taken."

"I was going to announce it after Apollo finished his morning
duties." He paused, then decided to continue. "But since War knows
all of this by now, I'll go ahead and tell you. Zeus and Psyche have
been stripped of their godhoods. I won't go into detail about their
punishments, you can wait until the official announcement. All of
the empty godhoods have been claimed. Strife has been brought back
and reclaimed his godhood."

Before Joxer could continue, Aphrodite interrupted. "Strife is back?"

Joxer looked puzzled at her hopeful expression. "Yes?"

She squealed and jumped up to hug him. She bounced for a moment,
then glanced around the hall with a grin. "You so need to
redecorate, Joxie." Seemingly unable to contain herself, she grabbed
him again, only this time she kissed him. With tongue!

Joxer stared at her in shock when she finally let him go.

She giggled. "Thanks, Joxie," she said and disappeared.

Joxer stared bemused at the space she had occupied. "What was that
all about?" he wondered aloud. He glanced around the temple.
Aphrodite was right: he did need to redecorate. But somehow he
didn't think that was what he got the kiss for.

***




***

Chapter Four

***

Instead of returning to bed, Joxer decided that Aphrodite had a very
valid point. He needed to remove all traces of Zeus' rule from
Olympus and thus set his determination in the minds of his subjects.

When Joxer had been mortal, he had wanted people to sing his praises,
to respect him, Tartarus, he wouldn't have minded a statue or two
either. Now, with the knowledge of Gaia and Tethys residing in his
brain, and the jewels of mercy and forgiveness resting in his body,
things were much different.

Joxer removed the statues and paintings of Zeus from his hall but did
not replace them with his own images. From the entrance way to the
dais there were torches lining the walls every few feet.

On the dais was a simple granite altar and behind it a simple granite
throne, whose seat was slightly higher than the altar. And that was
it. Simple and uncompromising. He traversed the entire temple
making changes that reflected that wish for simplicity. He did not
deny the need for comfort, but he did deny any need for lavish waste.

***

"Psyche, former Goddess of the Mind, ex-wife of Cupid, God of Love,
mother of Bliss, godling of Joy and Happiness, has been stripped of
all ties to Olympus. Anyone who attempts to return her to godhood
will share her fate. Any who assist her in trying to see her ex-
husband or her son will share her fate. Anyone who knowingly allows
her to succeed at either task will share her fate. Anyone who speaks
to her will share her fate. Her ties to Olympus are severed."
Joxer's voice was stern, and he waited until he received
acknowledgement from the Gods and Goddesses gathered before
continuing.

"Taking Psyche's former position is Xena the Warrior Princess. Xena
has accepted the responsibilities of the Mind godhood and eaten the
food of the Gods." Joxer waited until the shocked murmuring faded.

"Zeus, former God of the Sky, ex-King of the Gods, ex-husband of
Hera, Goddess of Marriage and Childbirth, father to… more children
than I care to name, has also been stripped of his godhood. Zeus has
been chained up with the Titians under Rhea's watch. Anyone
attempting to free him will join him." Joxer again waited for a
response before continuing.

"In his stead, Cycrops is now God of the Sky. He has eaten the food
of the Gods and accepted the responsibilities of the Sky godhood."
Surprisingly, the gathered deities were silent.

Joxer continued. "Psyche and Zeus are both alive and immortal.
These are their punishments - their fates. Until Psyche can feel
true remorse for her actions and can value the life of a mortal above
her own, she is to remain cut off from Olympus. Zeus is insane, and
unless he recovers - which is highly unlikely - he will remain
chained." Joxer waited a moment, allowing his announcements to sink
in.

"Now, for some good news," he said. "The empty godhoods of
Vegetation and Retribution have been filled. Zeraclies is now the
God of Vegetation, and Iolaus is the God of Retribution. They have
eaten the food of the Gods and accepted the responsibilities of their
godhoods. Also, the empty godhood of Mischief has been filled.
Strife has returned."

Of all the things that the pantheon could have been the most upset
about, Strife was not what first came to Joxer's mind. Joxer frowned
slightly. It seems that the Mischief God did not have many friends.
Joxer dismissed the gathering and returned to his temple, with Xena
in tow.

"What caused that?" Xena asked.

"I'm not sure. Nothing in Tethys or Gaia's memories give me any
reason." Joxer stared pensively at his friend. "That bothers me a
great deal. I'm sorry, Xena, but we'll have to wait a moment before
continuing your next lesson. I need to find out why Strife's return
is against the wishes of most of the pantheon."

"Who are you going to ask?"

Joxer paused thoughtfully, then sat on his throne. He summoned
Athena.

"What caused that?" he asked without preamble.

Athena blinked. "Caused what?"

"Strife's welcoming reception," Joxer replied dryly.

"Strife is barely tolerated by most of the Gods. Actually, I believe
it would be safe to say that most actively despise him." She
paused. "I thought you knew that."

"Well, I can understand that," Xena said. "He's the God of
Mischief. I'm sure he's pissed everyone off at least once."

"He's only doing his job," Joxer replied.

"Although, another reason could be because Zeus encouraged everyone
to discipline Strife."

"Not publicly though," Joxer said slowly. 'Tethys and Gaia would
have heard about it otherwise.'

"No. Not publicly."

"Strife didn't seem to have too much of a problem with you," Xena
remarked pointedly.

"I tolerated him. He was doing his job."

"But you didn't do anything to help him," Joxer said gently.

Athena dropped her gaze to the floor. "No, Sire. I did not."

"Dismissed, Athena."

The Goddess of Wisdom bowed, then vanished.

"Come on, Xena. I think we should step up your training. It
wouldn't shock me to know that Zeus has other surprises waiting for
us to find."

Xena followed him as he left the room and headed for the back
courtyard. "What are you going to do about Strife?"

"I don't know yet. I'll need to think about this."

***

Athena materialized in the Halls of War. This was not how she had
intended to spend the day. She had planned on giving Iolaus another
lesson in his powers. Instead she set him down in her library with
instructions to read on the history of his godhood. He hadn't been
pleased, but began reading anyway. She left him after a few moments,
and showed up here. She could have lived without dealing with Ares
today.

"What do you want?" the God of War asked, annoyed at her sudden
presence.

"I'm not here to see you," she sniffed. "Where is Strife?"

Ares glared at her suspiciously. "Why do you want to see him?"

"That isn't any of your business."

They both looked up as Demios flashed in. Demios nodded to Ares with
a worried expression.

Ares glanced at Athena. "He's in his room: resting."

Athena nodded and turned, walking briskly away and down the hall to
the residential area. She did, however, file away the reactions of
both Gods. They were up to something.

She knocked briskly upon Strife's door. When the younger God opened
it, Athena could easily see his shock.

"Why d'ja knock?" he asked confused, his voice thick with sleep.

"I didn't want to be rude."

"Huh?"

Athena swallowed hard. Damn, it was difficult. "You haven't given
me permission to contact you mentally. Since it wasn't an emergency,
I didn't want to be rude."

"Never stopped you before," he said, becoming more awake as the
conversation progressed.

She didn't reply.

"What do you want?" he asked after a moment.

"May I come in?"

Strife shrugged bemused, and stepped back to allow her entry.

Athena shut the door behind her. "May I shield us? I would prefer
to keep this conversation between us."

Strife's eyes narrowed. 'What was the little Wisdom Goddess up to?'
Despite her father's encouragement - that Strife had certainly been
aware of - Athena had never harmed him out of deliberate malice, and
only once out of anger. And that time, he'd really pushed her,
wanting to see how far he could go before she snapped at him.
Knowing that and the fact that he knew she felt guilty about harming
a fellow God, was what kept their dealings somewhat respectable. It
was an odd relationship to say the least-not enemies, not friends
either, but occasional allies. Strife nodded. "Go ahead."

Athena shielded them, then took a deep breath. "Strife, God of
Mischief, I, Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, formally apologize for my
behavior regarding your situation under the rule of King Zeus, God of
the Sky. As is custom and law, I am bound to you until my
reparations are complete and are satisfactory to you, the injured
party."

Strife stared at her in complete and utter shock. He knew she wasn't
joking; he knew the words as well as the next deity. "Why in
Tarturas would you bind yourself to me?" he managed to choke out.

"Whether it would have made a difference or not, I should have stood
up for you against the other Gods. You are a younger God. You are
the responsibility of every elder God." She looked down at the floor
for a moment, before meeting his gaze again. "I do not often claim
my title as Goddess of War, but I am a member of War's house and that
also makes your safety and well-being my responsibility. I failed.
I am only doing what is owed to you."

"Did Joxer put you up to this?" he snapped, suddenly angry.

"No. He did not. This was my mistake, and it was my decision to
correct it." She paused, and gave him a sympathetic look. "I have
already said the words, Strife. Whether you like it or not, I am
yours to do with as you please."

Strife stared at her, haunted. "Do you realize what you've done?" he
asked hollowly. "You've just cost Joxer one of his main supporters.
I can't support him openly!"

"So you do support him," Athena stated, rather than questioned.

"I think Joxer could prevent the Twilight," he spat. "Ares doesn't."

"Ares wishes to be King."

Strife sneered. "You don't understand anything about the God of War."

"Perhaps not." She paused. "Joxer wants to marry him off. He feels
that if Ares is focusing on stabilizing a marriage bond, he won't be
able to rebel against him. By the time the bond was stable, Joxer
would be firmly in place and Ares wouldn't be able to incite the
pantheon to rebel."

"Do you have any idea how powerful Ares really is?" Strife
snapped. "Take you for example, if you married Ares, he'd dominate
the bond in less than a week."

Athena felt her blood run cold.

"The only reason why he hadn't overthrown Zeus was because the old
bastard had just more than enough power to make it impossible to
win. Who can Joxer possibly marry him off to that the battle for
power would last long enough for the pantheon to settle?"

"What about Hestia, Demeter, or Artemis?"

"They're all about the same power-level as you are. Granted, it's
strong, but not as strong as him." Strife snorted. "The only ones
strong enough are Gaia and Tethys." He laughed. "And Joxer himself."

Athena blinked, and then slowly began to smile.

"What?" Strife asked, noticing the nearly evil smile upon her face.

"What about Joxer?"

"Joxer and Ares? Mercy, Forgiveness, and War? All mixed together?
Give me a break."

"Why not?"

"Because...." Strife frowned. "Because...." He fell
silent. "Because it's the stupidest thing I ever heard... and like
all stupid ideas, somehow seems to be the answer."

"I should go to Joxer and tell him. May I?"

Strife froze. "The second this bubble falls, everyone will know of
the binding."

"Yes."

"You can't just go running off to Joxer! They'll know I allowed you
to go!"

"But it is only proper that I inform the King of the Gods of my
change in status."

"I just know this is going to blow-up in my face," he moaned.

***

"What was that all about?" Demios asked.

"Who can figure that idiot woman out?" Ares replied, dismissing
Athena from his mind for the moment. He summoned a shield to prevent
eavesdroppers. "What did you find out?"

***



tbc

[ Update  | Fiction  | Challenge  | Round Robin  | Joint Effort Fiction  | Links  | Gallery  ]

Broken links or other errors can be sent to Carrie. Suggestions are also welcome.