DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All the Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. This story is set after the Xena - Warrior Princess episode A Necessary Evil.

Choices
By Kristjan Brezovnik

Callisto and Velasca were trapped beneath the lava, but Gabrielle felt no relief. She wished there would be another way. She walked around the Amazon village and observed the Amazons as they took care of their everyday chores. She usually liked being in the Amazon village, but not now, there were too many bad memories still alive. She wished Xena was here so she could leave. She sighed and left the village.

She walked, deep in her thoughts, for a while, when she suddenly noticed an old woman who was carrying a heavy package. She approached her.

"Let me help you," she said.

The woman looked at her.

"Oh, no, I would not burden an Amazon with my poor belongings."

Gabrielle smiled.

"It's no big deal. Where are you going?"

"To the Centaur village."

"That's not far. I'll help you."

The old woman hesitatingly gave her package to Gabrielle.

"What is your name, young one?" the woman asked when they were on their way.

"Gabrielle."

The woman stopped, surprised.

"The Amazon Queen?"

Gabrielle smiled.

"Yeah," she said and continued walking.

"There is something troubling you, young Queen?"

Gabrielle glanced at the woman.

"Yes."

"You took my burden, perhaps I can take yours?"

Gabrielle thought.

"Have you heard of an Amazon named Velasca?"

"Velasca! Yes, I have heard of her. How is she?"

"She is a goddess now and she is trapped in a lava pit."

"A goddess, you say?"

"Yes."

"You miss her?"

Gabrielle hesitated.

"No, not exactly. I didn't know her very well. She claimed that she was the rightful queen of the Amazons. I would have let her be the queen, but I found out that she was too violent and that she would cause our destruction if I let her. After I left with a friend of mine to find ambrosia, she locked up those who opposed her and followed me."

"Ambrosia? The food of the gods?"

"Yes. I needed it to bring Xena back to life."

"The Warrior Princess?"

"Yes." Gabrielle took a deep breath before she continued. "We succeeded and we thought that Velasca was dead after she fell on the spikes. She wasn't. She managed to get what was left of ambrosia and she became a goddess. Then she went after me. Xena and I knew we couldn't handle her by ourselves, so we rescued Callisto from the maze in which she was trapped by Hercules."

"Callisto, the Warrior Queen?"

"Yes." Gabrielle paused again. "She was immortal then and Xena promised her ambrosia if she helped us. She agreed and we defeated Velasca. Callisto got her godhood, but now they are both trapped in the lava pit."

Gabrielle took a deep breath to keep the tears in her eyes from spilling.

"So, it is not only Velasca you feel guilty about, but also Callisto?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"But they both wanted to hurt you. They are evil."

"No, they are not. Velasca wanted to revive the Amazon Nation, to stop it from being destroyed, and Callisto, she misses her family. I know how she feels, I almost lost Xena twice."

"You would help them, if you could?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes," she said and wiped the few tears that managed to slip past her eyelids.

"I hear that a temple of Artemis has been destroyed. Is that true?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes. Velasca destroyed it because she felt that Artemis had betrayed us."

"And what do you think?"

"About Artemis? I don't know her well enough to judge her actions, but I do wish that she showed that she cared about us more often." She paused. "Velasca was right about one thing, though, the Amazons will soon cease to exist. The only question is, will they be destroyed or will they become mothers of new nations."

"You speak wisely for such a young woman as yourself."

"Yeah, well, my wisdom didn't help Velasca or Callisto."

"You never know, Gabrielle, you never know."

Gabrielle turned, surprised, when she heard the voice become different, but the old woman was gone. She put the package on the ground and looked around. The woman was nowhere to be seen. Gabrielle was confused. She wanted to examine the package she was carrying, but the package was also gone. Gabrielle was now totally lost, she had no idea what had just happened. She finally sighed and returned to the Amazon village.

When Zeus brought Velasca and Callisto to the temple of the Fates, they were still engaged in their combat.

"Enough!" he ordered and the two goddesses stopped, surprised.

They both looked around, curious, and saw that they were in the temple of the Fates and that only Zeus, Artemis and the three Fates were present.

"Well, well, if it isn't Artemis, the useless goddess," Velasca said scornfully.

Callisto giggled.

"And Zeus, the father of all freaks," she added.

"Silence!" Zeus ordered.

"If you want me to do some dirty work for you, you can forget it."

"Shut up, Callisto," Artemis said, "and listen to what I have to say."

"I bet it's gonna be something useless," Velasca said, "just like yourself."

"Oh, shut up, will you? Of course, if that's too much for you, maybe you'd like to return to that lava pit of yours."

Velasca bit her teeth.

"Okay, what do you want?"

"I had an interesting conversation with Gabrielle today." Callisto and Velasca both wanted to make a comment, but Artemis' glare made them change their minds. "It seems that in spite of what you have done, she still wants to help you."

"Oh, how noble of her," Callisto quietly mocked.

"Anyway, since she is the Queen of the Amazons, I have taken her words very seriously. I know mere words won't convince you, so I got Fates to help me. Velasca, you said you wanted the best for the Amazon Nation, right?"

"Yes."

"So does Gabrielle. Come here." Artemis went to two loose threads. "These are two possible futures of the Amazon Nation. Touch each thread and you will see them."

Velasca rose her eyebrows and touched one of the threads. She saw the Amazon Nation being destroyed by wars. Then she touch the other thread and saw the Amazon Nation merge with other nations.

"The first future you saw was your future and the second was Gabrielle's. Do you understand now?"

Velasca was quiet for a few moments.

"That still doesn't explain why you never help us," she said angrily.

Artemis sighed.

"I'm always there when you need me, but I don't let you know that. In the future, the Amazons will have less and less use for me and I am trying to get them used to it. But I will show myself more often from now on."

Velasca took a deep breath.

"And what now?"

"Would you like to return to the Amazons?"

"Yes, but they won't accept me."

"They will. You have my and Gabrielle's support."

"Gabrielle's?"

Artemis smiled.

"Yes. Do you want to return?"

"Yes."

"Then Zeus will have to take your godhood away."

Velasca nodded and went to Zeus. Zeus put his hands on her head and Velasca gasped as the godhood was taken away from her.

Callisto quietly observed the whole proceeding. She wanted to tell Velasca that she was a fool, but she changed her mind, because she didn't know what Artemis would show her.

"Callisto," Artemis said and Callisto jerked. "Come." Callisto went to Artemis, who moved to two more loose threads. "You miss your family, right?"

Callisto gave her and angry look.

"Yes."

"These are your futures. See for yourself."

Callisto touched one and she saw herself butcher thousands of people. She grew old and was finally killed by someone better that her. Her body was torn to pieces and sold as dog food. And then she was in Tartarus. Callisto shuddered and bit her teeth. Then she touched the other thread and saw herself become a hero like Xena and, finally, she was in the Elysian Fields with her family.

She let go of the thread and turned to Artemis.

"I'm supposed to believe that?" she asked.

"Yes. The Fates prepared the threads and not even Zeus dares mess with them. You have a choice, Callisto, don't waste it."

Callisto thought. All she ever wanted was to be with her family, but Xena had taken it away from her. She hated Xena for that and she knew that as long as she killed people just to get back at her, she would never see her family again. But, she realized, she didn't have to let go of her revenge completely. She could still hurt Xena, but she had to stop killing people. She decided to give it a try.

"Okay," she said and went to Zeus, who took her godhood away.

"I'll take you back now," Artemis said when Zeus was done.

"I'll be watching," Zeus said and disappeared.

Xena had finally returned to the Amazon village and Gabrielle was looking forward to leaving. Suddenly, three women appeared in a flash of light. The Amazons, who immediately recognized one of them, prepared for a fight and so did Xena, who recognized two of them. They were all confused when they recognized the third woman.

"Artemis," Gabrielle said.

"Hello, Gabrielle."

"What is going on?" Xena demanded.

"Velasca and Callisto were given another chance."

"What?"

"Velasca will remain here and Callisto will find her own path." Artemis turned to Gabrielle. "You were right, Gabrielle," she said and vanished.

Callisto then looked around for a way out of the village. When she found it, she started to leave.

"Callisto!" Gabrielle called after her. Callisto turned. "You can stay for the night, if you want," Gabrielle offered.

Callisto stared at the young Amazon Queen for a while. She suddenly realized that hurting Xena without hurting anyone else might be impossible. This would certainly demand some serious thinking over.

"Some other time, Gabrielle," she said and left.

Gabrielle and Xena both stared after her.

"Gabrielle."

Gabrielle turned.

"Velasca."

"You were right," Velasca said, "my way was too violent and would lead to our destruction. I will obey your orders, although I might not always agree with them."

Gabrielle stared at her, surprised. Finally, she smiled.

"If you don't agree, I want you to tell me, after all, I also make mistakes."

Velasca smiled briefly.

"I will," she said. "My Queen," she added and left.

Gabrielle stared after her.

"Gabrielle?" Xena asked after a few moments and put her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder.

"Xena, we'll stay for another day or two."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I have to make sure that Velasca will be okay."

Xena smiled. She wished all people would be like Gabrielle.

The End