| ChakrA pt II The brightly lit moon gives off an eerie glow of red. "Xena what's your plan to destroy Shikiro?" Gabrielle asks. Xena tells them she'll give evil what it truly wants...immortality. She tells them that they'll use that to lure Shikiro to them, so they can kill her with the Key. Xena asks the Olympians if they know of any existing Ambrosia, Cupid tells her he knows an Amazon Tribe protected by Artemis' aura. Only those who pass the "test" are able to possess the Ambrosia. After what happened with Velasca, Artemis made sure that would never happen again. "So what's the problem." Xena asks. Cupid explains, "No one knows who or where to find this tribe, they're kept in great secrecy, & even the other Amazon Tribe's have no idea which tribe is the protector's of the Ambrosia." Ares,"How do you know about this secret Amazon Tribe?" Cupid, "Artemis asked me to make one of them fall in love....it's a long story. Anyway, they move around and it's hard to track them down, but between the three of us we should be able to find them....hopefully." After Cupid's explanation, Ares, Aphrodite, and Cupid go in search of the mysterious tribe, while Xena explains her plan in great detail to Gabrielle. "Here's what we're gonna do:first you make contact with Shikiro, she doesn't know I'm alive so she won't expect anything from me. She's already been after you and she wants the key, so you'll give it to her. While I attack her from behind, then I'll offer her the Ambrosia only after she agrees to leave us in peace-which she won't. That's when we both attack her with our Chakram's, which'll kill her. All right, before we can do this we need the Ambrosia." Aphrodite, "Xena!! We almost found them, but it turns out it wasn't them. Sorry." After hearing this disappointing news Gabrielle tries to think of something, anything, when it hits her. "Yakut, if anyone would know it would be Yakut, I mean she's a Shamaness, and an Amazon. All we have to do is ask her. Cupid, can you take me back to Greece and go to the land of the dead where I can speak with her?" Cupid replies, "Yes" and they both head back to Greece- Ares, "Don't take too long, we're in the middle of WAR." Cupid and Gabrielle, "Whatever." As Gabrielle and Cupid head towards Greece, a bigger issue arises back in Jappa. Shikiro has decided to torment the living, killing and hunting innocent people just for the thrill. Villages are being destroyed, men, women, and children are being murdered. Aprodite,"You think they'll make it on time?" Xena replies,"Let's hope so, if not for their sake, then for the thousands of souls in Jappa." Meanwhile Gabrielle and Cupid have arrived in Greece and they've entered the land of the dead. The two have trouble finding Yakut, but then a fellow Amazon see's them-ready to attack. Amazon,"Who are you and what are you doing in these parts?!" Gabrielle,"We're looking for Yakut, the souls of Jappa depend on her." Amazon,"Still doesn't give you the right to tresspass on our lands, as Queen of the Amazons it is my sacred duty to ensure our safety. You still haven't answered me, who are you, how did you get here, you're not even dead--looking towards Cupid, and why don't you have a shirt on?" Gabrielle,"This is Cupid, and I'm Gabrielle-" Amazon,"-Gabrielle?? Queen of the Greek Amazons, I should've known, Xena's told me about you, please forgive me, if I'd of known who you were I'd have been more cooperative. My name's Cyane...yes the one Xena killed-don't worry we've made amends the last time she was here looking for you. What's this about the souls of Jappa?" As Gabrielle explains the situation to Cyane, an even bigger crisis arises. Xena knows that Shikiro is murdering all the innocent people of Jappa, so she insists on going after her. Ares and Aphrodite try to hold her off,"If you go you'll surely die, without the Chakram of Light you'll be incomplete." Replies Ares. Xena explains,"I didn't sacrifice myself for the 40,000 souls of Higuchi for nothing, I can't just sit here when I know innocent loves depend on us." After arguing whether or not the innocent should live or die, Ares and Aphrodite decide to go after Shikiro. Not wanting Shikiro to know Xena's still alive Ares and Aphrodite choose to go alone. As Ares and Aphrodite go in search of Shikiro, Cyane has lead Gabrielle and Cupid to Yakut. Yakut has explained to Gabrielle that the Sacred Tribe is their Tribe, and the Ambrosia was taken away from them after the "Twilight." Athena had planned on using it to bring Zeus and Hera back to life, but they weren't able to find Hera, and without their God-hood they weren't able to find the Queen of the Gods. Cupid,"So you don't have the Ambrosia?" Yakut replies, "No, but what we do have is one of the three pieces of the Cronos stone. It was given to us from Cyane-of a different Tribe-but that's a long story, and there's no time to explain. We must hurry, if Jappa is in great danger then we haven't got time to site here and talk." Receiving the bad news of not having any Ambrosia, things look grim, then Yakut tells them they have the Cronos stone-which doesn't have the power to turn mortals into Gods, but it can kill a God. "Ares. I knew you'd come, I've been waiting for you. Replies Shikiro. Ares,"Enough talk, this is war and I am The God Of WAR!!" Ares and Aphrodite go up against Shikiro, Shikiro delivers a fierce bolt of energy that knocks her the two to the ground. Ares gets up and throws a ball of energy back at her, it hits her but she shakes it off. As Aphrodite gets up Shikiro throws another bolt of energy at Ares, but then she's hit from behind by a huge bolt of energy thrown by Aphrodite. Shikiro is thrown across the ground, she's just as shocked as Ares is, but still it's not enough. Shikiro gathers all her energy and releases a powerful energy ball at the two, and they're knocked down to the ground. Both realizing they're still weak from reviving Xena, they have noi choice but to retreat. Xena,"Akemi, you shouldn't be here now, it's dangerous." Akemi,"I know what you're thinking, Xena you must wait for Gabrielle and Cupid to retrieve the Ambrosia. If you fight Shikiro now you'll surely die." Xena,"Once upon a time I was told to fight for what I believe in, I can't just turn my back on Jappa, not after what we've all been through. If I sit here and do nothing...." Akemi,"I understand, everything happens for a reason, no matter how bad or evil things seem, good-the "Light" will always guide you. Snow melts, flowers fade, the existing cease to exist...but life is eternal. If we don't fight for our lives then we may as well not exist. Do what you must Xena, but remember this...You are not what you hold, but what you hold is from within...use it." Xena,"What does that mean?" Akemi,"There isn't much time, the moon has been made red, the blood of innocence flows across the lands...you must go...fulfill your rightful destiny. We will see eachother again...farewell sweet Warrior Princess. Xena,"Farewell...my friend." Just moments later Xena used the key to track Shikiro, but Shikiro has found her. Shikiro immediately throws an energy ball towards Xena, but she deflects it with her Chakram, and it's thrown back at Shikiro knocking her to the ground. Shikiro is surprised to see Xena-alive, she's even more surprised that Xena knocked the wind out of her. Still dazed Shikiro gets up and throws three energy balls at Xena, she deflects the first two but is hit by the third. Blasted to the ground, her Chakram is thrown far beyond her reach, Shikiro leaps towards Xena. Still on her back Xena flips her over, using her legs. Shikiro is knocked straight into a huge rock which stumbles her for a while. Gabrielle and Cupid return to find Aphrodite and Ares in a weakened state. "What happened?" asks Gabrielle. They explain the situation to the two, fighting Shikiro and then having no choice but to retreat. After the explanation Aphrodite asks, "Did you get the Ambrosia?" Gabrielle explains their situation, and tells them instead of Ambrosia they have the Cronos stone. Then Gabrielle asks, "Where's Xena? What happened to her?" Ares and Aphrodite have no idea where she went, but then Ares suggests maybe she went up against Shikiro by herself. The Olympians Zap themselves and Gabrielle to Xena. Shikiro still dazed stumbles to get up, meanwhile Ares, Aphrodite, Cupid, and Gabrielle arrive only to find Xena's in trouble. They all race towards her and find that she's hurt, Xena insists that she's fine and leaps toward Shikiro. They two women clash again, this time Xena has back up. While Xena and Shikiro battle, Gabrielle spots Xena's Chakram and rushes over to get it, but then Shikiro spots her and kicks Xena and sends her flying. Shikiro leaps towards Gabrielle and deliveres a kick with such fury, but Gabrielle blocks it and throws a couple of pumches at her. Shikiro gets ready to blast her with an energy ball but Xena comes up from behind and strikes a blow that throws her towards Gabrielle, Gabrielle then strikes a furious blow at Shikiro who then falls to the ground. Xena looks at Gabrielle, Gabrielle knows what she's thinking...they both grab their Chakram's and get ready to kill Shikiro, but then Shikiro blows herself up. She's no where to be found, but then she turns up, behind Xena and Gabrielle and throws a fierce energy ball which causes the two to lose hold of the Chakram's and can only watch as the key's fly through the air. The Olympians decide to intervene, recovered just a bit, they do what they do best. All three of the Olympians combine their powers and use the Cronos stone to give their powers an added boost. As the Olympians are doing this Xena and Gabrielle dash towards the Chakram's, and Shikiro's right behind them until she's hit by a massive force of light, which sends her flying across the land. All this gives Xena and Gabrielle time to reach the Chakram's, Gabrielle explains to Xena in a rushed voice, "We couldn't get any Ambrosia, but we do have the Cronos stone which can kill her." Xena and Gabrielle watch as the Olympians use the Cronos stone to kill Shikiro, the three Mighty Olympians have pulled all their strength together and harnessed the power of the Cronos stone. In one final burst of energy the Cronos stone silences the evil Shikiro. Gabrielle turns to Xena, "I thought the only way for Shikiro to die was with the Keys? Do you think she's really dead?" Xena, "Don't count on it."-and so Xena and Gabrielle with the help of the Olympians have destroyed Shikiro. Xena looks up to the sky, and see's the moon at it's normal glow. Xena thinking to herself, "We did it Akemi, Shikiro has been destroyed and Jappa is finally safe." Ares turns to her and says, "Xena, after all this we haven't had much time to welcome you back to life, you miss me?" Xena gives him the old Xena smirck. Gabrielle turns to Aphrodite and Cupid, "Thank you for your help with all of this, and for bringing Xena back to life, and the Cronos Stone, and-" Aphrodite, "All right we get it, but you know if you ever need anything, we're always here for you little one." Gabrielle gives a thankful smile to the two. The three Olympians say goodbye and leave the two. Gabrielle looks at Xena, " Where to now?" Xena,"Let's head on back to greece, after all this...I think I miss home." The thought of what Akemi said to her before...."You are not what you hold, but what you hold is from within...use it," Still lingers in her mind. "What does that mean" Xena thinking to herself. She tries to forget about it...for now. So the two leave Jappa and head for Greece, unfortunately the only way to get back to Greece is by boat. Copyright©Chakra pt II-olympu513o1-January 2002 |EternaL WarriorS| |VirtuaL SeasoN| |