MONDAY FAN FICTION REPORT - 4/12/99
[Previous report was for 4/9/99]

Hi guys,

A couple of new Xena fanfic sites are now available - THE LIBRARY at CRURSAELEQUAI'S TOWER is opened for business at: http://crursaelequai.interspeed.net/tower/level3/library/

Also, the COFFEE STAINED SCROLLS, featuring Xena alt. fanfic, has debuted at http://members.xoom.com/badbard/fanfiction.html

Seven new ones below and four updates :)

GENERAL FICTION

THE MAGIC SHOW by Arlene Lugo
Xena and the Gabster team up with a young thief to recover a missing heirloom, in the process giving the young girl a new sense of direction and purpose. This one reads very much like a TV episode. - 11 pgs.
http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/content5/lugoa_magic.html

OUT OF THE FIRE by Jessica Caldwell
Bridging the time period between the episodes SACRIFICE II and FAMILY REUNION, this short tale chronicles Hopes escape from the burning pit and her trek to Poteidaia near where she ends up delivering a deadly new life into the world. - 3 pgs.
http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/content5/caldwellj_outfire.html

ALTERNATIVE FICTION

TAPESTRY by T. Novan
Part 32 of the RAISING MELOSA SERIES is a DELIGHTFUL feel-good tale that finds the warrior and bard finally enjoying some quality time together - happy, in love and whole once again. A very nice reward for the many of us out there who've been following this series faithfully. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 6 pgs.
https://ausxip.com/fanfiction/t/tapestry.html

RENA THE RENEGADE by Weekend Warrior
In the best tradition of the Old Wild West comes this rousing uber western chronicling the story of the infamous renegade Rena Halston in the days just after a failed bank robbery. In need of much-needed rest for her and her gang, the beautiful desperado takes over a small town, making herself quite at home at the local inn and immediately intimidating the innkeeper there. Assisting her father with his unwelcomed customers, Holly Franks soon finds herself intrigued by the mysterious Renegade, drawn despite herself to the mixture of danger and beauty and power that is Rena Halston. For her part, Rena is amused by the young woman's proud de finance and attracted in turn to those sparkling green eyes but for a renegade any softening of the heart can be deadly - something Rena forces herself to keep in mind when the posse hunting them starts to draw near and it becomes apparent that in order to shake them they're gonna have to take a hostage with them... Weekend Warrior does a great job here of rewriting some Xena history in a western setting. The relationship is allowed to develop at a good pace while the characterizations are quite reminiscent of a certain warrior and bard. An engrossing read. DO NOT MISS! - 29 pgs.
http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/content5/renaweekend.html

UNSPOKEN AT MIDNIGHT by E.M. Hamilton
This bard's first-ever offering is a sizzling foray into the unspoken feelings of a warrior and her bard as the two surrender in their dreams to the desires neither can quite give voice to outside Morpheus' realm. Amazon Ice Co. time! ;-) - 9 pgs.
http://adult.dencity.com/Ashera/Archive/fiction/unspokenxg.html

THE NIGHT AFTER "THE QUEST" by Chris M.
Set during an evening of celebration after Xena's return in THE QUEST, this wicked little tale has a VERY frustrated King of Thieves trying to find some company for the night and getting instead a friendly lecture from the Amazon Queen on one of her favorite pastimes...exploring caves >:) Big grin alert on this one and get ready to feel some sympathy for poor Auto - he needs it in this! Cute. - 6 pgs.
http://whoosh.org/katrina/STO/altlib/TNATQ.html

MY MEANING by Badbard
A vignette about the unlikely circumstances that can reveal what's in the heart. Sweet - 3 pgs.
http://village.fortunecity.com/degeneres/899/meaning.html

THE HANGING GARDENS by XWP Fanatic
Chapters 10-16 are now available. The second episode in the SEVEN WONDERS SERIES after Fanatic's extraordinary AFTERMATH: IN THE THREE OF LIFE this sequel continues the story of Xena the Conqueror and her lovely consort, Gabrielle, Queen of the Amazons as they travel to exotic Babylon home of one of the wonders of the Ancient World, the majestic Hanging Gardens. There to celebrate the anniversary of King Nebuharin's reign, Conqueror and queen begin to suspect the intentions of the crafty Babylonian ruler the minute they spot a Roman flag among the ships in the harbor. Joining the other rulers also invited to the festivities they soon learn of Nebuharin's plans for the historic gathering - only there are other plans afoot as well...ones which may endanger the Conqueror, her queen and the still fragile happiness they have found together. In these latest chapters the rulers suddenly find themselves hostages to circumstances when their royal host expires unexpectedly and suspicion falls on them all. Fanatic continues here the very solid characterizations she established in the first story as she develops the relationship between a very dangerous, very driven, very smart Conqueror who is nevertheless pitifully ignorant when it comes to affairs of the heart, and a stubborn Amazon queen with a gentle soul, a wisdom that is often beyond her years and a keen understanding of those affairs of the heart. Establishing in the first few chapters what promises to be one heck of murder mystery, this tale surrounds the Xena/Gab romance with a terrific sense of suspense and intrigue. A MUST READ in the weeks ahead that comes VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! [unfinished] - 18 pgs.
Ch.1-9: https://ausxip.com/fanfiction/h/hanginggarden1.html
Ch.10-16: https://ausxip.com/fanfiction/h/hanginggarden2.html

TENDER IS THE NIGHT by Llachlan
Part three is now available. Llachlan has been delivering some first class fanfic for a while now but with this new uber story this bard is well on her way to outdoing herself. Part of that new second generation fanfic that incorporates elements of OTHER Xena fanfic, Llach's latest is initially set in Tinseltown where second unit director Jae Cavanaugh gets the shock of her life when the death of her mentor suddenly propels her into a very unexpected opportunity as the lead director of a major Hollywood film called "Balance of Power". It's an opportunity filled with difficult challenges as the production is already racked with problems not the least of which is having a lead known among her peers as the Amazon Ice Queen. A fiercely private actress with an infamous temper and little tolerance for incompetence, Reed Lewis has a lot more on her mind than the problems with the film but having experienced a series of recent setbacks she knows this is her last shot at reviving a dwindling career. Amidst this fast-paced world of movie-making excitement, Hollywood deals, long hours, hard work and compromises, these two very different women come together to create a film and in the process discover a bond, undeniable and sweet which begins drawing their souls together despite the odds and which before their work is complete will have tested them like nothing or no one before. In this latest part, as the on location film production continues Jae and Reed continue to grow closer, allowing one another through those emotional walls and beginning to get past some of those long-held inhibitions. Llach presents us here with richly drawn characterizations of two very complex, fascinating and wonderfully appealing leads. Both the relationship and the surrounding story are fleshed out carefully establishing a very believable pace which easily draws us into the unfolding drama. In a tribute to fellow bard Missy Good, Llach has the movie in her story actually be a film adaptation of Missy's novel TROPICAL STORM - a clever plot development which allows for a number of guest stars and inside jokes that should be familiar to anyone who's a part of Missy fandom. More than a story, TENDER is an experience folks. It gets my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION! [unfinished] - 29 pgs.
https://ausxip.com/fanfiction/t/Tender.html

HEART'S COURAGE by LZClotho
Chapter 12 IS now available. Riveting new story that finds Gabrielle in dire straits on her way to the Roman slave markets praying the Warrior Princess will reach her soon, only the warrior Gabrielle knows is no more, replaced by a stranger living ten years in the past and aided now once again by the same mysterious figure that was her right hand back then. In this latest part a desperate Gabrielle tries to reach the heart she knows lies within the warlord attacking Rome while Ares wonders what has happened to his godhood when his stint as a moral starts to get too realistic for his taste. Clotho does a nice job with the pacing of the story creating a great sense of suspense and impending danger. DO NOT MISS! [unfinished] - 6 pgs.
http://members.xoom.com/LZClotho/alt/HeartsCourage01.html

THE ACCUSED by Dhyanna
The conclusion is now available. Set before the episode THE DELIVERER, this story has Gabrielle loosing her blood innocence in a different way and Xena desperately fighting to try to save her friend from the repercussions. Gripping. - 6 pgs.
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content3/accused.html

FANFIC ART

"Bres" by Miguel Cura
Inspired by the story WHEN THE WAVE BREAKS by Llachlan.
http://www.merwolf.com/llachlan/RoguesGallery.html

For those of you reading this post who are not familiar with the term alternative (alt.), it refers to ADULT stories that add a romantic element to the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, depicting them as more than just friends.

Happy reading!

Lunacy 8-)