FADE IN

A forest, with a large full moon visible between the tree-tops. The indistinct sound of conversation can be heard, and then a single word--Gabrielle.

The camera focuses on a crackling fire, around which several shadowy figures huddle. Their murmurings are initially inaudible, but suddenly a voice is raised.

VOICE 1:
     Then we go after Gabrielle.

VOICE 2:
     But...

VOICE 1:
     You're telling me you can't kidnap a single woman? (snorts) What use--

VOICE 3:
     He never said that--you never did, did you? We'll get her all right...oh, it'll be nice and easy. We'll get her...

The voice fades into the night once again. But as the camera moves away from the figures, we hear:

VOICE 2:
     But what about Xena?

VOICE 1:
     See, that's the beauty of this plan...

CUT TO

A colorful market square in a bustling village. Xena, with Argo by her side all packed up and ready for a journey, is staring with disbelief at Gabrielle, who looks like she's in the middle of trying to explain something. Darion is wrapped around Xena's legs.

XENA:
     You're telling me we can't leave yet because of a toy fair?

GABRIELLE (sheepishly):
     Yeah.

DARION (beseechingly):
     Pleeeease, Xena? Can we stay just one more day? I'll be good, I promise!

XENA (disbelieving):
     Well, that's got to be--

She is interrupted by a child's scream. Startled, she turns to look. A girl of about seven is running toward her holding a doll in a pink dress.

CHILD'S VOICE (shouts off-camera):
     The Aegean Beach Aphrodite Doll! She got the last one!

Several other girls come into view, in hot pursuit of the girl with the doll. They catch up with her and one grabs her by the hair. Just as Xena is about to step in, the child whirls around and turns on her assailants, using the doll as a weapon to beat back the girl who has her by the hair and then spinning and kicking in best Xena fashion.

Pan back to Xena, who looks on, open-mouthed; she and Gabrielle exchange a startled look and then a shrug.

Pan back to the children. The attacking girls turn around and flee. The girl with the doll shakes herself off with the air of a seasoned fighter, smoothing her dress.

DARION (admiringly):
     Nice moves!

The girl looks toward him, Xena and Gabrielle.

GIRL (her eyes light up with excitement):
     Hey! A Xena impersonator!

XENA (straightens up, glaring):
     A what?

GIRL (comes closer):
     You're a Xena impersonator, right? We had one at the fair last year. That's how I learned my fighting moves. (she spins around and kicks an imaginary opponent) I even got myself a Xena doll--I have one at home.

GABRIELLE (mischievously to Xena):
     Sounds like toy fairs are more exciting than you think. (to the girl) She's not an impersonator. She's the real thing.

GIRL:
     You're kidding me. (she eyes Xena curiously) Say, what did you think of my moves?

XENA (smirks):
     Not bad at all.

GIRL (pumps her fist in the air):
     Yeah! Hey, if you're still around later maybe you can sign my Xena doll for me!

She runs away.

Xena looks after her and shakes her head, then turns to Gabrielle and Darion.

XENA:
     So--where were we?

DARION (hugs her legs again):
     Please, Xena? Please? Can we stay for the fair? I'll be--

XENA:
     Oh yeah. You'll be good, you promise. I remember.

GABRIELLE:
     Come on, Xena--it will be a good chance to relax. We've been pretty busy, and Darion needs a rest. We can't keep moving like this.

Xena looks down into Darion's pleading eyes and sighs. Shaking her head, she carefully untangles the child from her legs, then grabs Argo's bridle and heads towards the stables.

XENA (calling back over her shoulder):
     One day, that's all!

Close up of Darion and Gabrielle's smiling faces as they high-five each other.

CUT TO

Inside a tavern. Xena is sitting at the bar, finishing her dinner; she stares out the window where we can see the busy village square. The day is starting to turn to evening. Gabrielle and Darion are sitting next to Xena.

Suddenly, Xena perks up, a puzzled look on her face.

XENA:
     Say, was that--

Gabrielle knocks over her mug of ale, which falls with a loud clatter, spilling ale all over the counter and into Xena's bowl of stew. Xena gives an exclamation of annoyance.

DARION (erupts in laughter):
     That was funny!

XENA (gives him a displeased look):
     That was my dinner.

GABRIELLE (laughs nervously):
     Sorry, I guess I'm being a bit clumsy today.

XENA:
     I'll say. (sweeps some of the ale off the counter, then tastes the stew with a cautious look on her face and then nods with unexpected satisfaction) It's not so bad, really.

GABRIELLE (crinkles her nose):
     Lamb stew and ale, huh? You know, sometimes the best recipes are invented in mysterious ways.

Xena nods and chuckles, then looks up at Gabrielle as if she has suddenly remembered something.

XENA:
     Hey, almost forgot--I thought I saw someone out there in the square who really looked like Virgil.

GABRIELLE (laughs):
     Is it something we ate? I'm knocking things over, you're seeing things--

XENA (frowns):
     What are you trying to say?

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, there's no way Virgil would be here in this village.

DARION:
     Maybe he wanted to see the toy fair.

Gabrielle laughs; Xena starts laughing too.

GABRIELLE:
     Speaking of the toy fair--Darion, I think we'd better get going. (to Xena, teasingly) You sure you don't want to come along? Maybe you could sign some Xena dolls.

XENA (not amused):
     I'll pass.

Gabrielle and Darion exchange a mischievous look, then get up and walk out.

CUT TO

Gabrielle and Darion walking across the square. She bends down and says something to him.

CUT TO

The tavern. Xena finishes her stew, looks into the bowl and shrugs. Then she gets up, walks to the staircase and makes her way upstairs.

In the corner of the tavern, the three hooded figures watch silently as the Warrior Princess climbs the stairs.

FIGURE #1 (in a hoarse whisper):
     Well? Are we going after the blonde now?

CUT TO

A room in the tavern. Xena comes in and stretches lazily, then takes off her sword and her chakram and puts them down.

CUT TO

A nearly deserted village street. Darion is pressed firmly against a wooden fence, slowly making his way along it. A toy sword is clutched tightly in his right hand; his face wears a deep look of concentration in the form of puckered lips and a raised eyebrow. He looks around cautiously, as if to make sure no one notices him. A few people hurry by but no one is looking at him.

Darion reaches the end of the fence, looks cautiously back and forth--in the direction he came from and then in the direction where he's going--and starts running towards the tavern as fast as he can.

CUT TO

Xena, in her room at the inn, sits down and, out of sheer habit, examines her sword, running a finger along its edge to make sure it's sharp enough.

CUT TO

Darion steals into the tavern, looking around cautiously, and starts to make his way upstairs. Then, once he's no longer visible from downstairs, he starts to bound over the steps.

CUT TO

Xena puts her sword down and reaches behind her back to remove her breastplate.

Darion bursts through the door and propels himself at Xena with such force she falls back on the bed. He's short of breath.

DARION (hoarsely):
     Xe-nah! Xe..na...

XENA (worry clearly showing through her voice):
     What is it, Darion--what's wrong?

DARION (through tears):
     It's Gab...Gabrielle!

XENA (sits up and grabs Darion's shoulders, alarmed):
     What happened to her, Darion? Where is she?

DARION (sniffles):
     She's in a barn on the other side of the square... Some bad men have her trapped!

Xena jumps to her feet as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER