~ A Tryst Of Fate ~
by Melissa McMahan


CAST. Xena, Joxer, Gabrielle, Cupid & Aphrodite

As Joxer laid in Aphrodite's temple crying over the blond Bard once again. The goddess and Cupid looked down on him.

CUPID: He's starting to make us look bad, not to mention love all together. (Sighs)

APH: Both him and Gabrielle. Hum, let me think?

CUPID: If there were a way they could see each other in the way the other does. . .

JOXER: I don't want to ruin our friendship, but I would like our relationship to be more. . . (Sighs) Um, well you know? (Whispers) Personal.

APH: That's it! (Giggles)

Evening as the three of them made camp Gabrielle and Joxer had a spat about one of her scrolls he had sat on. He told Xena he was going for a walk, but he fell asleep under a tree he had sat under to look at the stars. The next thing Joxer knew was he felt long hair and felt of the womans hip who was laying apart from him. Suddenly he head a whoosh above his head and as he opened his eyes he saw Xena looking right at him. She had her sword and knew that was the noise he heard, but how did he end up with Xena last night?

XENA: Your lucky I didn't cut you up! (Yells) You know I'm always on the alert! What or who in the name of Tartarus were you dreaming about that made you touch me?! (Sighs) Don't ever do that again, Gabrielle.

JOXER: Joxer. (That was Gabby's voice he thought)

XENA: You had a dream about Joxer and you touched my hip? (Snickers) I gotta hear about this dream?

Joxer looked around and felt funny, not ill, but short and. . . He looked down and say Gabby's body.

J.as G.: Oh gods!

XENA: Are you alright?

J.as G.: I think I've lost it, Xena!

XENA: Mmm, so it was that kind of dream? (Chuckles) Well you can go find him, he's probably by the lake somewhere pouting over the fight you two had.

J.as G.: Yeah better go find Ga. . . Joxer.

Joxer tries to walk towards the woods but finds it hard to do so in Gabby's little body. He's thinking this must be some kind of dream, but this had happened to Xena and Callisto. He felt of the body he was in and knew for sure it wasn't his, but it was nice. He, he. Then he went off looking for himself. Gabrielle woke up and felt really strange herself, something was really, really wrong. She opened her eyes and saw she was all alone, where was Argo?! Where was Xena?! Where was her bed roll?! She slowly stood up and seemed alot taller. Then stumbles over to the lake, as she looked in she saw Joxer in the refection.

G.as J.: Joxer?! (Thinking) I must be hourse I sound like Joxer.

She turns to look at Joxer but nobodys there, that's when she notices she's got on his clothes and looks in the river again. She screams and sees herself running towards her.

J.as G.: Are you alright?! (Pauses) Gabby?

G.as J: I'm I all right?! (Yells) No! I'm you and your me, how can I be alright? (Sighs)Oh gods!

J.as G: Well one of the gods little jokes I'm sure.

Joxer feels of the arms he has and starts to touch other things, but Gabrielle slaps the hand.

G.as J.: Joxer don't grope me. . . I mean yourself. . . I mean don't touch anything!

J.as G.: What if we have to when we bath or when nature calls? (Turning red) Or something else?

G.as J.: Oh god's I don't know?! (Gasping) Xena's coming, don't tell her anything.

J.as G.: Are you kidding she'd never let us hear the end of it?! (Scoffs) Hi Xena, I found him.

XENA: Joxer go load Argo, we're outta here.

G.as J.: But Xena we. . . (Xena grabs Joxer's nose) Ow! Xena, stop that!

J.as G.: Let him go Xena, he'll do it and I'll help.

XENA: Fine. (Lets go and walks off)

G.as J.: That hurts! (Grunts) Maybe we shouldn't do that to you Joxer. (Starts walking toward camp)

J.as G.: No you shouldn't and try to walk like me, Gabby. (Sighs) Joxer the mighty doesn't wiggle or bounce when walking.

G.as J.: Oh sorry. (Taking bigger steps) Hows that?

J.as G.: Better, but I'm not walking like you.

They load up Argo and start off down river. Xena knows something is wrong with her friends but isn't sure of what. Gabrielle started humming the Joxer the Mighty song and Joxer was more graceful than normal.

J.as G.: Oh Joxer the Migh. . . (Xena give a look) Oh?

They make it into a town and go into an inn, as Xena sits next to Joxer. She watches Gabrielle as she pays for a room, but then grabs Joxer's arm.

XENA: Last night Gabrielle had a dream about you.

G.as J.: Huh?

XENA: Mmm and it must of been something naughty too.

G.as J.: Is that so?

XENA: She hasn't wanted to talk about it, but maybe this would be a good time for you to finally tell her?

G. as J.: Excuse me?! (Thinking) What could she mean by that? What was Xena and Joxer keeping from her? What did Joxer have to tell her?

XENA: Come on Joxer, you gotta tell her sometime. (Sighs) Gabrielle is very smart, she's going to figure you out anyway and wouldn't just be easier to say it yourself? (Getting up) Joxer stop being so afraid of her laughing at the idea of you and her again. She thought you'd been hit by Cupid's arrows too. I doubt she wanted to hurt you, she won't admit it but she's friends with you. (Sighs) Just tell her how much in love you are with her and stop beating yourself up over it.(Pauses) She coming, I gotta go fed Argo.

Gabrielle sat there feeling void of anything when Joxer came back, she just looked at him in her body.

J.as G.: What a jerk! (Sits down) That innkeeper hit on me, you, well you know what I mean and I slapped him. (Huffs) How dare he put his hands on your rear. Much less when Joxer the mighty is here. (Sighs) I'm sorry Gabby, but I think there's going to be a bruise there. Later I'll put some ice on it for you.

G.as J.: Joxer? (Looking at each other) Me and Xena or should I say you and Xena had a talk. (Pauses) Isn't there something we should talk about? Now?!

J.as G.: Um? (Gasps) Ah, that depends on wh. . what you mean by what you mean. . . I mean. . .

G.as J.: Oh you know what I mean, Joxer!

J.as G: Uh, oh! (Pants) Um, she told you?

G. as J.: No! She was talking to you or so she thought and she told you to tell me! (Sighs) Well?!

J.as G.: I knew it you hate me and our friendship is gone, because I couldn't help falling in love with you. (Sobs) I ruined it! (Head lowers as he sobs more)

G.as J.: Joxer? (Sighs) Joxer?!

J.as G.: What? (Sobs)

G.as J.: No Joxer, you didn't. (Sighs) This is mostly my fault.

J.as G.: What are you talking about?

G.as J.: You put my feelings above your own and what did I do? (Takes a deep breath) I scoff and hurt you in so many ways. (Sighs) What's wrong with me?!

J.as G.: Nothing. (Sighs) It's me, I'm just a idiot.

G.as J.: Look at what I've done to you? (Sighs) Joxer, Joxer? Um, don't put yourself down. I should of known I'm the idiot. (Pauses) I need some time alone, we'll talk about this some more when I clear my head.

The spell is broken and the look at each other before Gabrielle gets up and walks right past Xena. Xena turns to watch her walk outside, then walks up and sits next to Joxer.

XENA: Where's she going?

JOXER: Anywhere I'm not. (Sobs)

XENA: Oh? (Pats his back) I see.

JOXER: Xena, do me a big favor run your sword though me. (Sobs) Please?

XENA: Sorry my friend, but I'll stay here with you.

Gabrielle picks up things up from off the ground and throws them around as she paces. People gawk at her.

GAB: Thats why that man always makes me so mad! (Sighs) It's me! (Grabs a mans shirt) It's me!

MAN: Ma'am? (Clears his throat) Please let go of me?

GAB: Sorry.

Gabrielle lets go of the man and walks back into the inn, she sees Xena holding Joxer as he crys. She walks up and taps Xena on the arm.

Xena: Joxer I'll be right back I just need to check on something real fast. (Gets up and walks off)Stay here.

He nods without looking up, a few moments later he feels arms go around him and assumes it's Xena.

JOXER: Is she thinking of my demise? (Sighs) Xena? (Turns to Xena, but Gabrielle is there) Gabrielle?!

GAB: Uh,huh. (Gives him a great big kiss) Joxer?

Joxer passes out, she lifts his head and slaps it a bit. He comes around and she smiles at him.

JOXER: Whoa?! (Pants) Gab. . .

GAB: Come'mer! (They hug) I love you too.

Xena stood looking at her to friends.

XENA: It's about time you figured that out for yourself, Gabrielle.

THE END e-mail: greenwaterpurpledirt@yahoo.com



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