FADE IN

Xena and Gabrielle enter a room at an inn. Xena practically manhandles Gabrielle into sitting on the bed.

XENA:
     Okay, what happened?

GABRIELLE:
     I don't know. I went outside to get a drink of water from the well. All of a sudden that big, smelly goon was all over me.

XENA:
     The last time I saw you you were...

GABRIELLE:
     I know what you're going to say, Xena. I have to start paying more attention to my surroundings. I'm trying--but this constant paranoia thing you've got going on is new to me, okay? And besides, I've been thinking about writing down our adventures and I was--

Xena holds up her hands to stem the flow of Gabrielle's words.

XENA:
     I need you to stay here for a little while. There's someone I need to see.

GABRIELLE:
     You do? Who? Are you on the trail of some bloodthirsty warlord? Maybe I could come along and--

XENA:
     Actually, the best thing you can do is stay right here until I get back.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm not a kid, you know.

XENA:
     I know...I know. This is just something I need to do by myself.

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     Okay. I suppose I can work on my scroll. Promise you won't forget about me.

XENA:
     Impossible. I won't be gone long.

Xena leaves and Gabrielle frowns at the closed door.

GABRIELLE:
     Hm. Sooner or later you're going to stop leaving me behind, Warrior Princess.

CUT TO

Xena enters the tavern and looks around. She spots Magda at a table and strides over.

XENA:
     Okay, what have you done to Gabrielle?

MAGDA:
     Me? I've done nothing!

XENA:
     Don't give me that. One minute Gabrielle is fine. Then she meets you and all of a sudden she's different.

MAGDA:
     Different. Worse?

XENA:
     She's...changed. She's the way she used to be...back when I first met her. She was just a kid. Don't tell me you're not responsible for that.

MAGDA:
     I only grant that which has been asked. Only the wisher can undo the spell.

XENA:
     You mean Gabrielle has to wish herself back to...back to the way she is now? How am I supposed to make her to do that?

MAGDA:
     You can't make Gabrielle wish anything, Xena. The wisher must desire it.

XENA:
     Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you have any idea of the kind of life we lead? She's completely defenseless this way.

MAGDA:
     Gabrielle seems like a very capable young woman to me. Besides, she has you, doesn't she? Perhaps you should look at this as an opportunity, Xena. You could find a whole new appreciation for all that you've gained...and lost.

Xena frowns skeptically.

CUT TO

Gabrielle's room. Footsteps can be heard outside the door. A man coughs softly. Slowly, the doorknob begins to turn and pushes open so that our view of the doorway is blocked. A man's voice is heard from the other side.

MAN:
     Gabrielle?

He steps into view and a fist flashes, punching him in the nose. His hands fly to his face a split second after we realize it is Haimon.

HAIMON:
     Ow!

Gabrielle assumes an awkward fighting stance, brandishing her scroll like a sword.

GABRIELLE:
     I'm warning you! Xena, the Warrior Princess is my best friend and she's due back any minute. And she just loves to make mincemeat out of guys like you.

Haimon is holding his nose, trying to process all of this. He takes a step forward.

HAIMON:
     Gabrielle, it's--

Gabrielle backs up and brandishes the scroll above her head.

GABRIELLE:
     Back off! I'm warning you! I'm a lot tougher than I look. (a pause) How do you know my name?

HAIMON:
     How do I...Oh--I get it. Very funny. The long hair, the peasant farm girl look. You're in disguise. (he grins and reaches out to stroke her shoulder.) Not that it isn't becoming--.

Gabrielle raps his knuckles with the scroll and Haimon snatches his hand away quickly.

HAIMON:
     Ow! Are you mad at me for something?

GABRIELLE:
     Mad is a polite word for what I'm about to be! I'll give you to the count of three to get out of here. One...get ready, here's the wind up! (she begins to swing the scroll above her head) Two...

Haimon holds up his hands and backs up to the door.

HAIMON:
     Okay! Okay! I should know when you want to be left alone.

GABRIELLE:
     Obviously you're a slow learner.

Haimon backs out of the room, shutting the door. He turns and stalks down the hall, running into Xena.

HAIMON:
     Xena! Have you...I mean...what has gotten into--

XENA:
     I see you've already run into Gabrielle.

Gingerly he touches the bridge of his nose.

HAIMON:
     How did you guess? Xena, I've seen her in some pretty bad moods before, but this... (he shakes his head) How have you managed to stay alive all these years?

XENA:
     I can explain.

The scene cross fades to the tavern later on. Xena and Haimon are seated at a table, two mugs before them. Haimon drinks from his mug then sets it down sharply.

HAIMON:
     So this Gabrielle is Gabrielle but not the Gabrielle I know. This Gabrielle is the farm girl Gabrielle that followed you all those years ago.

XENA:
     Right.

HAIMON:
     And she remembers that you're her best friend but she doesn't know me at all.

Xena stares.

HAIMON:
     So...

XENA:
     You can take my room. Gabrielle and I will bunk together.

HAIMON:
     Why don't you just tell her what's going on and get her to wish herself back to normal?

XENA:
     I'm not so sure that's the right thing to do. The way things have turned out for Gabrielle... (trails off) She deserves a second chance. I owe her that.

HAIMON:
     You also owe her the right to make her own decisions. You can't make this choice for her, Xena. Tell her. Or I will.

CUT TO

Xena and Haimon standing outside Gabrielle's room.

XENA (whispering):
     I'm just saying I want to think about this. What's it going to hurt if she stays like this another day or two?

HAIMON:
     It could hurt Gabrielle. What is she supposed to do the next time some thugs jump the two of you?

XENA:
     I can handle it. I protected her before and I can do it again.

Haimon gives her a long look.

HAIMON:
     Let's hope so. (Sighs) By the way, I found out what Akelos' plans are. He's headed to a village called Paratta.

XENA (nods):
     About ten leagues west of here. We leave first thing in the morning.

CUT TO

A long shot of a small army advancing down a country road. Zoom in on the warlord riding at the head of the army. He is in his early forties, tall and broad shouldered, dressed in brown leather armor.

Pan to a rider coming fast down a country road. The warlord turns to look at him. The rider approaches and slows down.

RIDER (slightly out of breath):
     Bad news.

AKELOS:
     I knew it. What is it now? Don't tell me these yokels have organized a militia to send after us.

RIDER:
     No, it's nothing like that...

AKELOS:
     Well?

RIDER:
     Xena's on our trail.

AKELOS (scowls):
     I'd rather deal with a militia. (pauses) Alone?

RIDER:
     No, she's got two others with her. A man and a woman. I think the girl is that bard, Gabrielle--

AKELOS (his face darkening):
     This is getting worse by the minute. If the stories I've heard are true, she's almost as formidable a warrior as Xena herself.

CUT TO

A path through the woods. Gabrielle trying rather clumsily to twirl a stick. She drops it and it falls on her foot.

GABRIELLE:
      Ow!

Pull back to show Xena and Haimon walking by her side, leading their horses.

XENA:
     What are you doing?

GABRIELLE (smiles brightly):
     Oh, just trying to do that thing you do with your sword.

HAIMON:
     Be careful.

GABRIELLE:
     Oh, I'm always careful. (nods at Xena) She can tell you.

Xena chuckles indulgently and gives Gabrielle an amused but guarded look.

GABRIELLE (continues, to Haimon):
     So--you're a friend of Xena's?

HAIMON (glances at Xena a bit doubtfully):
     Uh...you could say that.

GABRIELLE (grins and looks at Haimon and Xena with avid curiosity):
     Boyfriend?

XENA and HAIMON (hastily):
      No!

GABRIELLE:
     So--just a friend, then.

She nods to herself, tries to twirl the stick again and drops it, then picks it up with a frustrated little "Uh!"

GABRIELLE (continues, to Xena):
     I didn't know you had friends. (Pauses and laughs, a little self-consciously) Well, except me, of course.

She gives Xena a questioning look; just then, Xena perks up, as if hearing something.

GABRIELLE (to Haimon):
     She may not always show it but we're--

XENA (holds out a hand, in a half-whisper):
      Quiet!

GABRIELLE (a little hurt):
     Hey, we talked about this, remember?

XENA (impatiently):
     Sshh!

She gestures with her eyes toward the trees, where a faint noise is heard.

GABRIELLE (nods as her eyes widen in understanding):
     Oooh--

Without another word, Xena charges at lightning-speed into the trees. With a fierce battle yell, she lunges forward at two men emerging from the foliage. She draws her sword and they spar.

GABRIELLE (to Haimon, with a star-struck smile):
     Isn't she amazing?

HAIMON (gives her a bemused look):
     Yes--yes, she is.

GABRIELLE:
     How do you two know each other?

HAIMON (not sure what to say):
     Uh...Long story.

As Xena continues to fight the two men, Haimon listens to a sound coming from the other side of the path.

HAIMON (to Gabrielle):
     Stay here. I'll be right back.

He goes off to investigate the noise, while Gabrielle raptly watches Xena fight the two men.

There is a noise behind her. Gabrielle turns to see a warrior coming up behind her.

GABRIELLE (tries to be menacing):
     Stay back! (As the warrior comes closer, she brandishes her stick) I'll make it hurt!

As the warrior comes closer, she swings the stick, trying to hit him. He blocks her blow, grabs the stick, wrenches it out of her hands and tries to grab Gabrielle--then, suddenly, staggers and falls back.

The camera pulls back to show Haimon, holding up his clenched fist.

HAIMON (to Gabrielle):
     Are you okay?

GABRIELLE (looks at him admiringly):
     Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.

Pan to Xena as she brings down one of the men she's fighting while the other runs away. As Xena walks back to the path, the man Haimon knocked out scrambles to his feet and runs off as well, still a little shaky on his feet.

GABRIELLE (beams at Haimon):
     Thanks. Saving me is usually Xena's job--but it's always good to have a back up.

Haimon gives Gabrielle an amused little smile; Xena looks at her uncertainly.

XENA:
     Are you all right?

GABRIELLE:
     Oh, yes. (beams at Haimon) Thanks to my knight in shining armor here. (looks over Haimon's clothes) Uh--that's a metaphor, of course.

Xena rather unsettled; Haimon is visibly embarrassed.

HAIMON:
     Come on--they're getting away!

XENA:
     All right. (to Gabrielle) Watch the horses--and don't go anywhere!

They run after the men, leaving their horses. Gabrielle stands watching them for a moment, then smiles, shakes her head and picks up the stick again. She twirls the stick, humming to herself, then points it forward, assuming a combat stance.

GABRIELLE (dramatically):
     Stand back! Or else I'll run you through like--like--a pig. (frowns slightly) That doesn't sound right. (Assumes a combat stance again, then makes a forward thrust) Hah! (She trips and falls flat on her face.)

There is a flare of light behind her and Ares materializes.

GABRIELLE (unaware of his presence, scrambles to her feet, dusts herself off and rubs her knee):
     Ow! (picks up the stick and thrusts it out again; the camera zooms for a medium close-up on her as she grins) You think you got me, huh? Well-- (she whips around as she speaks) I've got something for you right--

The camera pulls back to show her facing Ares, the stick is pointed straight at his chest (in a tableau somewhat reminiscent of the famous image from The Deliverer in which Ares materializes on the tip of Xena's sword). Gabrielle gapes, cut off in mid-sentence. Ares stares down at the stick, faintly amused, then looks over Gabrielle in her peasant togs as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE