Joxer's Revenge
Part 5
In a small temple at the outskirts of town a woman was leaving her offering, thankful that everything had happened as she had planned. Soon there would be no one to stand in her way, at last revenge would be hers!
“Why do you seek us again?” Atropos asked, as she and her sisters appeared each one a little annoyed at the mortal who kept plaguing them.
“I just wanted to say thank you for answering my prayer,” Alcheme answered regally nodding her head.
As they disappeared from mortal eyes with a grin Clotho said, “You have your vengeance on Zeus. Heed my words mortal, there are more forces at play than you realise. We are no longer at your disposal, do not call us again.”
The three watched bored as Alcheme started to destroy their temple, they had expected far worse. Now that everything had reached it’s critical stage, the fate of Olympus depended upon Zeus now. They did not know which was more worrying that they had to rely on Zeus or that their own compulsion was responsible for the situation.
********
Gabrielle watched the three men with in disgust, unable to believe what she was seeing. Why had no one stopped the perversion! It was just wrong, Joxer was supposed to be hers, even if she didn’t want him.
As she sat staring into space, Gabrielle was trying to figure out some way to help Zeus. She didn’t particularly like the God but it was against her beliefs to allow the God to be tortured without doing anything. She just knew that Xena would help her, then they could get off the island but more importantly Zeus would owe her a favour.
Walking over to the warrior princess Joxer asked, “Can I talk to you alone, outside?”
Xena said standing,“I suppose, as long as they don’t hurt Gabrielle.”
Thinking with a smirk ‘well not permanently’ Joxer said quickly, “They won’t.”
On the way out Xena glared at Jett who was busy sharpening his dagger, looking at the Amazon from time to time.
Ares watched worriedly as his daughter walked outside with Joxer. Ares loved his daughter even though she had virtually no contact with him, but he realised he would kill Xena without a second thought if she hurt Joxer again.
“What do you want to speak to me about?” Xena asked watching closely her former friend.
Joxer shrugged, “I just wanted to tell you what we’re going to do when Zeus arrives and to warn you again not to interfere.”
Xena sat down and just looked at him, willing to listen to him just in case she heard something that could help her stop what they were going to do.
Joxer gave a bloodthirsty grin, “Zeus is going to made to pay for his crimes, vengeance is deserved. Let’s just say that more is happening than you can ever understand. Be warned Xena, I won’t let you hurt my family!”
The pair walked back into the house in complete silence, Joxer was just taking the time to make sure they had covered every angle. Xena on the other hand was trying to think of some way to stop Gabrielle from interfering and getting herself killed.
*******
“Strife, I have something to tell you.” Eris said as she entered her son’s home.
“What’s up?” Strife asked worried at the tension flowing from his mother.
“You know Joxer’s plan?” Eris asked, at his nod she continued, “Well, we’re putting it into practice. So I just wanted to know if you wanted to help?”
“Yeah! Ya know where Ares is?” Strife said remembering the way Cupid had been panicking earlier.
“That’s one of the reasons why we’re doing this now. Zeus decided to beat up Ares and make him mortal. He’s with your brothers but don’t worry, you know Jox won’t let anything happen to him.”
“They hooked up, yet?” Strife asked with a grin, he had known about Joxer’s feelings for Ares before Joxer had.
Eris said with a laugh, “Yeah, yesterday. Look, you can tell Cupid but that’s it,”
“Cup’s been worried sick.” Strife said as he disappeared from the room.
*******
Meanwhile Hephaestus was planning just how he would get the bracelets on Zeus. He would have to do it soon; they couldn’t take the risk of someone finding out their plan. It could destroy everything they had worked for and the only chance to get his children back on Olympus with him.
Hephaestus decided that he would do it the next day, at his meeting with Zeus. Zeus had requested to see him about the latest weapon he wanted. Apparently Zeus felt that he needed something a little scarier than a thunderbolt.
******
Angry at being ignored Gabrielle whined “Gods you really are stupid! Not even you could come up with such a ridiculous idea, Joxer!”
Ares quickly picked up a knife from the table and threw it smoothly. It landed in her shoulder.
Jett quickly moved to the injured woman, kicking the bard in the stomach he hissed, “Don’t ever speak to my brother like that!”
“Jett, Res, save the aggression for Zeus!” Joxer said knowing it would work. There was no one any of them three more than Zeus.
“You tell them. Jox” Cupid said with a laugh as he and Strife appeared.
Grinning at the shock on Gabrielle’s face Strife said, “Ya trying ta kill the harpy?”
“Yeah, how’s mom?” Jett answered hugging his brother tightly.
“You okay, dad?” Cupid asked as he quickly examined his father’s injuries.
“Yeah, I’m as good as new.” Ares said ignoring the matching glares from Joxer and Cupid.
Joxer declared, “Or he would be if the idiot stopped moving around too much!”
“Gotta agree with Jox on this one.” Strife said as he materialised a chair and sat down.
“What a surprise(!)” Cupid said as he sat on Strife’s lap.
Xena raised an eyebrow at the pair, wondering just how close they were. As far as she knew Cupid was still married to Psyche and as far as she knew love gods didn’t normally encourage adultery.
“Has dad told you when he’s planning to get the bracelet on Zeus?” Jett asked as the family gathered round ignoring the two women.
Cupid said thoughtfully, “Nah, but it’ll be soon. He’s in a bit of a mood, mom keeps asking me if I know anything.”
“You want to stay here for a while?” Joxer offered knowing that Strife would want a go at torturing Zeus.
Knowing that Strife had some sort of issues with Zeus Cupid said, “That’d be great although we can’t stay any longer than about for days or Mom will come looking for us.”
Part 6
Cupid said nervously, “Joxer, can I ask you something?” Strife was acting stranger than usual and he was worried.
“Can this wait until everyone’s asleep?” Joxer said getting the feeling that the conversation had to be private.
“Yeah.” Cupid whispered looking up he said in his normal voice, “I’m gonna heal the rest of your injuries, okay dad?”
Ares nodded that simple movement taking all his energy; he had pushed his injured body too much and was paying the price. Cupid smiled and put one hand on his father’s arm, he healing all the remaining cuts knowing that his father had plans to torture Zeus for a while.
Four hours later Cupid and Joxer carefully made their way down stairs to the kitchen. It was far enough from the bedrooms to ensure they wouldn’t wake up any of the others. Joxer gave Cupid a glass of wine and sat down waiting.
Cupid took a drink and looked at Joxer saying, “Why do you want to hurt Zeus? I get the feeling that it goes back further than your exile.”
Joxer looked his cousin in the eyes, “That’s the understatement of a lifetime, kid. I’ll tell you what happened but you can’t interfere-no matter what.”
Unseen by the pair Xena was hiding in the doorway listening to the conversation and looking in at the morose pair. She could tell that what Joxer had to say was hurting him and wondered what could be so painful to her strange friend.
Knowing he had to remain emotionally detached Joxer said, “One day Ares came home to find Eris on the floor of his temple covered in blood. For three days she just sat there just crying and holding onto us like we where her lifeline. Do you have any idea what it’s like to watch your mother fall to pieces and not being able to help?”
Anger and pain in his voice Joxer continued to tell the truth of an event few had occurred, “Mom had been working in her garden when Zeus appeared. He threw her into the wall of the temple knocking her unconscious. When mom woke Zeus had chained her to his alter so that she couldn’t use her powers. For four days he tortured her, using his powers to make sure that she couldn’t go unconscious. On the fifth day he raped Eris three times, then dumped her at the war temple in Corinth.”
Joxer knew the part would be difficult for Cupid to hear, “A week after this happened that we found out mom was pregnant. That baby was Strife. She was hysterical feeling everyone would take her baby away. Everyone was told that mom had been seeing someone who had dumped her when he found out she was pregnant. Zeus knew the truth, he distorted Strife’s power signature so that no one would find out he was the father. Strife was told of his parentage when he was ten years old, although he kind of already knew.”
“That sick fuck! How could he do that to her and to Strife?” Cupid said wanting nothing more than to kill Zeus repeatedly.
Joxer smiled seeing the young God’s anger for what it was, “Strife wanted to tell you but Zeus said if Strife told anyone he would kill mom.”
Cupid started pacing, “Ya think Strife would let me help teach Zeus a lesson?”
Having heard enough appeared Xena said, “I would like to teach that bastard a lesson, as well.”
Joxer said with a smirk, “You’re more than welcome to help, Xena but we’ll be taking care of the main part. Ares, Dad and Mom get him first. Then Cupid, my brothers and I.”
*******
Cupid walked into the bedroom, unsurprised to find Strife awake. The pair had always been particularly in tune with each other and knew when the other was upset. It was one of the things he loved about their connection, that they always knew when the other needed something.
Hugging his pale cousin Cupid said gently, “Jox told me about what Zeus did. I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry about what the sick bastard did to you and that I love you.”
Strife asked in disbelief, “Ya mean that Cupie?”
Cupid felt anger burning through his veins at most of his family for making Strife feel so inferior. Smiling reassuringly he said, “Yeah, dude. Can I sleep with you? I just want to hold you and be there in case you need me.”
“Love you Cupid.” Strife said as he lifted up the covers.
Cupid gently slid into the bed, wrapping his arms around his pale cousin. He held on tightly, realising just how much pain Strife must have been in not being able to tell anyone the truth, having to hide who he was from everyone.
“I’m gonna make sure no one ever hurts you again.” Cupid whispered his vow as he fell asleep never seeing Strife’s grin.
“You okay, bro?” Joxer asked as he looked in at the pair.
“Yeah, Cupie’s here.” Strife answered ignoring his older brother’s amused grin.
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