"THE PRINCESS & THE QUEEN" series -SCROLL VII: SACRAMENTS FOR SUBSTANTIATION

pt.5

The area seemed so peaceful and serene as Xena and Gabrielle moved through the spirit realm. Unsure of where they were going or what they might find Xena remained on alert as she examined their surroundings.

GABRIELLE
Xena do you know what might happen here or where we should go?

XENA
Unfortunately I don't. I haven't done this sort of thing in a very long time. Plus it's different every time you come here. So that makes it near impossible to predict what might happen while we're here.

GABRIELLE
Oh.
(Thinking to herself) There you go again Gabrielle, depending on someone else for everything. You just complained that Xena didn't think you can handle yourself. And once again you're proving both her and everyone else who's thought that right.

Noticing Gabrielle becoming quiet, the feeling that there was something wrong ate away at Xena even further. She was about to say something when Gabrielle spoke.

GABRIELLE
Hey look up ahead. It looks like a giant waterfall.

Xena looked up atop a hill that they were coming to and saw that there was an enormous waterfall at the top. Though it looked more like a wall of rushing water than anything since it stretched out to either side as far as Xena could see. She looked back for a moment and saw that there wasn't anything of note behind them. Looking forward again, Xena began walking towards the flowing water as Gabrielle walked along side her.

XENA
I don't see anything else around here so it's a safe bet that we're supposed to do something with this.

GABRIELLE
That was my thought too.

Reaching the waterfall they both stood in front of the cascading water as they examined it. Cautiously Gabrielle reached out to touch it.

XENA
Careful Gabrielle in a place like this we don't know what might happen.

Gabrielle gave Xena a disapproving look as without breaking eye contact, she then proceeded to shove half of her arm directly under the water. After a moment of nothing happening Gabrielle retrieved her arm from the waterfall. Holding it up they both saw that all that happened was that Gabrielle's arm had gotten wet. Gabrielle smirked and lowered her arm as Xena scowled.

XENA
(Irritated tone) That was unnecessarily risky.

GABRIELLE
We needed to see if it was safe to touch. So I did.

XENA
(Irritated tone) By shoving your whole arm in like that. It could've gotten burned or cut off or who knows what here.

GABRIELLE
(Irritated tone) And what would you have done Xena? I know you. You would have done the same thing.

XENA
(Irritated tone) I would've used the tip of my finger to test it first. Not just put my whole damn arm on the line.

GABRIELLE
(Irritated tone) That's exactly what I was going to do before you stopped me.

Xena found herself becoming more angerd as she realized what Gabrielle had done.

XENA
(Irritated tone) So you did something that reckless just for spite?

GABRIELLE
(Irritated tone) Well if you had trusted my judgment in the first place I wouldn't have done that.