Rating: PG-13 for subtext. Not Xena/Gabby. It's Ephiny/Jarren, Joxer's baby sister from my "Super Warrior" story.
Author's Note: This is in dedication to Sam Raimi's new movie, Spider-Man. My heart goes out to the two stuntmen who sacrifised their lives to be the wallcrawler. the first stuntman died during set, while the other is in the hosbital.
Summary: Takes place in Season 4. After Xena kills a giant mutant spider, the spider bites Joxer and gives him what is known as "The Curse of the Spider." But to Joxer's satisfaction, the curse turns out to be the best cure in his life. Also, I can't think of her name, but the girl who played Cyane in Season 6 in To Helicon and Back, and in season 5 played the wanna-be-Xena's sidekick in Kindred Spirits is a pick for Jarren, the sister of Joxer the Mighty.

"AY YI YI YI YI YAY YAAHHH!!!" Xena, Warrior Princess, leaped onto the back of the giant spider monster, and with all her strength and momentum she could gather, plunged her sword deep in the head of the spider.

The spider screeched in pain as it tried to shake the sword off, but it was no use, and the monsterous spider began to weaken.

Gabrielle, ready with her staff, and Joxer, with his sword in hand, watched as the ferocious beast fell to the ground and died. Gabrielle let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank the gods, it's dead."

Xena jumped off the giant spider's back, breathing very heavley. "I know, that definatly was a tough bug. In fact, I've never had any trouble with anything like this at all."

"Maybe you're just getting too old for this, Xena." Gabrielle smiled.

Xena gave her best friend her famous icy glare, but the battling bard just kept her smile on. None of them noticed that one of the spider's legs beginning to twitch a little.

"Thank you, Xena. We are in dept to you for killing such a horrible monster." An old man, very tall with a short beard walked up to Xena and Gabrielle, not even aknowledging the would-be warrior.

Xena smiled at the old man. "It's not problem, Delphius. But I know now what you meant about that spider being one tough bug. Thought I would barely make it."

Gabrielle's smirked at Xena's last comment, but her smile faded as she saw a lanky man walk slowly up to the giant, and dead, spider monster.

"JOXER!"

Joxer jumped at the sound of his name.

"Don't get to close. That spider may be dead but it is poisones." Gabrielle warned.

Joxer half smiled at his beloved bard and shrugged. "Gabrielle, I'm not a little boy. I'm a man, I can take care of myself, Moo...aaAAAGGGHH!!!"

Xena and Gabrielle quickly turned into the direction of their friend. Joxer screamed in pain as he held his arm. His arm was punctured bad and bleeding. The spider rose it's head, all eight of its eyes looking at Joxer.

Joxer faced the thought-to-have-been-dead insect, his face a pure look of rage. The spider, though, made no move to attack. It just stood still, watching Joxer. Joxer studied the giant's eyes more. He could have sworn, there was a bit of intelligance, and sadness.

Finally, the spider's head fell, as Joxer fell unconcious to the pain of his wound.

Joxer's eyes shot open as he stormed up from where ever he was laying down. He looked around, not seeing anything familiar of the forest he was just in. Just clouds, so many of them too.

"Hello, Joxer."

Joxer's head snapped to the direction of the voice, only to see a pair of eight eyes staring back at him. It was the spider monster. But...it was talking?!

"Sorry about biting you back there, but I had no choice."

"W-who...who are you? What are you?" Joxer asked, worried for his own safety.

"I am Madam Webb, guardian of Athens." The spider's voice suddenly became the voice of an old woman.

Joxer shook his head and rubbed his eyes, thinking this all was a dream. But when he reopened his eyes, the spider was still there.

"Madam Webb? the guardian of Athens?! But..I never knew there was a guardian of Athens!"

"Oh but there is, Well, there was, until your friend killed me." The female spider looked down. Joxer began to feel sympathy towards the giant.

"Look, uh...I...I'm really sorry about that. It's just, well....everyone was saying that you were killing innocent people so we had to..."

"Goodness, I would never hurt those people in Athens. I protect them from danger! But I will tell you this....something very strange and horrible is going on."

Joxer got up from his place and slowly walked over to the female spider. "What do you mean?"

Madam Webb looked up. "I mean, is that something strange is horrible is going on. I'm not sure what, but I have noticed that many civilians of Athens has been missing lately, either that or dead."

Joxer put his hands on his hips. "Well...I uh...don't mean to change the subject here but..." Joxer looked all around his surroundings. "Where or why the hell am I here?" he asked.

"Simple, you're here because I've chosen you to be the new guardian." Madam Webb simply explained.

Joxer eyes popped out of his sockets. "Me..chosen...g-g-gaurd...gaurdian...?" he stuttered.

"Yes."

"But..but how?! I mean, I'm not a warrior...well not an advanced one like Xena or Hercules. And plus...I'm weak. I ain't got any muscles..." Joxer paused as he touched injured arm, only to see the wound was gone and the muscles in his arm became a bit more bulkier. "...muscles. I-I..I have muscles. They're not as big as Herc's, but...I have MUSCLES!"

"You always did, Joxer. They're just bigger now. Also, your strength and speed as increased as great as a powerful god. You have the agility of a spider, you can climb on anything, and most important...is something I call the spider sense."

"Spider Sense?" Joxer looked confused.

"Yes, it warns you of danger before danger happens. Understand now?"

Joxer nodded.

"Oh yes," Madam Webb pointed one of her front legs at Joxer's wrists. "You also have organic webbing. You can shoot out web from your wrists. It's most helpful when you're trying to get to some place you can't reach."

Joxer looked at his wrists, then back at Madam Webb, confused again. Madam Webb sighed.

"Ok, first, take your one of your hands and concentrate. Shooting web will be like normal to you as any part of your body." she instructed.

Joxer did as he was told. He pointed his hand at an open direction. He could suddenly feel something move in his wrist, and it was not even hurting him. A huge and long thick line of web shot from Joxer's wrist and into the open direction. Joxer looked in amazement of his new powers. Gods, it was fantastic. But then again, it was scary. But only one word was Joxer able to say.

"Cool."

"There are two problems though, Joxer."

Joxer turned to the female spider.

"You're vunerable, just still mortal. But you are a super human now."

"The second?" he asked.

"Well, the second....well it's just from my opinion, but Joxer, I think it would be wise to tell known about your powers."

'WHAT?! Why not?"

"It will just be to much for the people around you to handle, even Gabrielle."

"Ah come on, it will just be like it is with Hercules. Only except he doesn't like to be appraised because he belives..." Joxer paused, and looked like he realized what Madam Webb was trying to say. "You're right." Joxer bowed his head down.

"You can't be using these powers to be popular, Joxer. Not even to get all the women and riches you want. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility."

Joxer shook his head. "I understand. I will use my powers in the name of good." Joxer looked up at Madam Web, and suddenly, his lips made a bright smile. "But first, I've got some major payback for some people I know."

Ephiny up to Jarren, the beautiful baby sister of Joxer, and handed her the amazon princess mask. "Now, as Princess of the Amazons, you, Jarren, are successor to my throne, the Queen of the Amazons."

Jarren smiled lovingly at her friend. Jarren looked all around at the crowd, and held up the mask in the air, and put it on, officially making her an Amazon Princess.

The crowd of Amazons cheered on. Ephiny walked up beside Jarren and placed and arm around her shoulders, kissing her cheek as Jarren lifted the mask over her head.

"Congradulations, lover. I would have no warrior better than to be Amazon Princess of the Amazon Nation." Ephiny smiled at Jarren.

Jarren grinned and wrapped her arm around Ephiny's waist. "It was your encouragement and training that brought me all this way, Queen Ephiny." Jarren leaned up to Ephiny and whispered in her ear. "Tonight's going to be a better celebration than this when we are alone."

Ephiny grinned delightfully.

"Jarren. Princess Jarren!! A message from your home!!" An Amazon messenger ran her way through the crowd.

Jarren released her grip on Ephiny and walked down to the messenger. "What is it, Amarice?"

The red-head amazon leaned forward, trying to catch her breath. Finally, Amarice looked up at Jarren. "It's your mother, Princess Jarren. She's dead."

He slowly opened his eye lids. His vision was a bit blurry as he looked around his surroundings. He was laying down. down on something soft and warm. His vision was becoming mre clearer, and found that he was in someone else's house. But who's? And where did Madam Webb go? And....where the hell was he?

"Joxer?"

Joxer looked down over his feet where two figures stood in front of. The taller figure was Xena, and the smaller was Gabrielle.

"Xena." Joxer let out weakly.

The tall warrior gave him a warm smile and walked over to him. "How are you feeling?"

He ignored her question. "Where am I? What happened to me?"

"You were bit by that spider monster out there. I'm surprised you're not dead. You passed out because of your wound, so me and Gabrielle and to bring you to a healer's down in Athens."

Joxer began to move up from what ever he was laying on. But Xena stopped and and gently pushed him back down.

He looked at his best friend, looked deep and the icy blue eyes of his warrior pal. He saw...sadness and sympathy. Why?

"Xena? What's wrong? Are you ok?" He asked concered.

Xena could only give him a sad smile as she looked in the direction of Gabrielle. Gabrielle then turned and looked over at the redhead Amazon, known as Amarice.

Jarren stood along with others as she watched the body of her mother burn in the dancing flames. Her tears streamed from her eyes and down her cheeks so fast. She tried to control it, but ended up losing the battle every time.

Ephiny looked over at her heartbroken lover beside her, and pulled the young girl to her, holding her, comforting her the best she could. Jarren wrapped her arms around the amazon queen/her lover's waist, her eyes never ripped from her mother's burning body.

Joxer slowly walked up to where the funeral was. Behind him was Xena and Gabrielle with Amarice. His eyes were red, but he wasn't crying anymore. He searched the large crowd of people. It was not amazing to see his mother knew so many people. Even as a warlord, she was kind to others.

Joxer's eyes stopped when saw his baby sister being held by Ephiny. He looked over at his two friends, told them to stay, and walked up to his baby sister.

He was inches away from her. "Jarren." He whispered.

Jarren turned and faced her brother. Through her tears, she smiled. He smiled back at her, and gathered her in his arms in a tight embrace.

"How did it happen?" He asked Amarice.

"The villagers say she was attacked by a thief."

"Must have been a strong thief." He sarcastically said.

There was a brief silence, until Jarren walked up to Joxer.

"Joxer, my brother. Do not think that any of this was your fault. It's mine. I should have been here watching her."

"No Jarren, it's not your fault. It's nobody's fault." He reassured, puting his hand on her shoulder.

Jarren looked down, wiping her eyes along with the new tears that were brewing about.

"So what now. Joxer? What are we going to do?" She asked him.

He thought for a moment, then looked over at his sister.

"I'm going to find Mother's killer, Jarren. Then from there...is something you decide."

Joxer began to leave, until Jarren's arm on his shoulder stopped him.

"JOXER, PLEASE! You're not even a real warrior."

He watched his sister, and began to glare holes through her.

"I may not be, but this I promise, Jarren. I will avenge Mother's death." With that, Joxer left.

He stormed out out the tent in Ephiny's Amazon village. He began to walk out of the village, but he couldn't help but hear the wind speak to him.

"With great power, comes great responsibility."

Joxer marched so fast into the forests. His look a face of determination and rage. He was like a vicious animal out for vengence.

"I'll find the bastard, Mother." He whispered. "I will have my revenge."

"Is that what your mother would've really wanted of you, Joxer?" A soft voice spoke.

Joxer stopped at the sound of the voice behind him. He half-turned, only to see Gabrielle . Her eyes full of sympathy for the lanky man. Her sympathy though did not phase him one bit.

"It's what a warlord would want, Gabby. And my mother was a warlord."

She slowly walked over to him. "Your mother gave up her lust for battle long ago when your father was put in jail. That's what Jarren told me."

He looked up in the sky, and shut his eyes tight. "Maybe. But still....I'll find the bastard. And when I do, I'll kill him!"

With great power, comes great responsibility.

Joxer and Gabrielle looked all around their surroundings. Looking for where the voice came from. The voice though, was all around them.

"HELP! THAT MAN IS TAKING MY MONEY!" A woman's voice shouted not to far by.

Joxer and Gabrielle ran up to see a tall man, wearing black garments, snatch a woman's bag of dinars from her. Another man was on the ground, his hand on a bloody wound caused by the theif's small dagger.

The theif successfully grapped the womans bag, and began to run away, until Joxer stood in his way.

"G-Get out of the wat! NOW!" The theif stutterly orderd.

Joxer made no move. This was making the theif aggitated and nervous.

"I-I-I...I said GET OUTTA MY WAY!!"

The theif rushed forward to push Joxer out of his way, but Joxer moved to the side and tripped the theif. Gabrielle rushed over, her staff ready.

"You want some more?" Joxer coldy asked as he looked down at the theif.

The theif looked up at Joxer, then back at a running Gabrielle. The choice was clear. The theif quickly got to his feet and ran off.

Gabrielle stopped as she was beside Joxer, a bewildered look on her face as she watched the theif escape, and looked up at Joxer.

"Joxer...why? You had him. Why did you let him go?!" She asked. To her disapproval, he gave no answer.

The wounded man staggered up, helping the woman next to him. The wounded man marched up to Joxer, the woman behind him.

"You!" The man pointed a finger at Joxer. 'That was my wife's last life savings. Because you didn't stop him, me and my wife could starve to death!" He growled.

Joxer looked at the man up and down, and smirked. "Sorry buddy. But I have problems of my own. If you need a couple of dinars, here." Joxer tossed the woman a small bag of dinars. She ungratefully took it.

"Little punk." The man whispered to himself, and walked away with his wife.

Gabrielle grabbed a hold of Joxer's arm, and jerked him over to her. "What in Tataurus was that, Joxer?! Why coudn't you just stop that guy?!"

He shoved her hand of with unknown force. "Like I said, Gabrielle. Got problems of my own."

With that, Joxer walked away, back into the woods. Gabrielle sighed frustrated. Oh Joxer. You have got to get over this. I know you can do it. It's just like I was when Perdicus died.

Joxer finished making to holes in the piece of cloth that was part of his funny looking armor. "They'll have to do for now." He said to himself, examing the his new-made mask. Joxer wrapped the cloth around his forehead, and tied the back in a knot. He adjusted the two holes in front so he could see clearly.

Joxer looked at his wrist, then pointed his wrist to one of the large trees nearby, and shot a strong line of web to the tree. He lifted himself off the ground and began swinging from tree to tree with his webbing.

His stood shooting his organic webs and leaped to a nearby tree. He swung around on a branch of the tree, and jumped on the side of the tree, hiding himself in the huge bushes of leaves and the dark. He began to hear foot steps and drunk laughter.

A figure staggared in the woods, laughing as he tossed his dagger in the air. Joxer tired to get a better look of the man as he slowly climbed down the tree. He could've sworn the man looked familiar.

"HA HA HA HA....Ohh..WOAH. Heh, shall we dance?" The man began to imitate that he was dancing with someone.

"Drunk and stupid with a dagger. Just my luck." Joxer spoke to himself.

Without hesitation, Joxer flipped off of the tree, and landed behind the drunken man.

The drunk turned to Joxer, and his eyes became wide with fear.

"Oh no. The ghost of these woods....HAS COME TO KILL ME!! HELP!!!"

Joxer lifted his hand, and formed a organic web net the swung the drunk to the nearby tree Joxer leaped from. He looked at his wrist. So there's more than meets the eye.

"Look...gaagghh...take anything you want. I've got lots of dinars, treasures, weapons. Anything you want. Just please to kill me." The drunk man began to plead.

"Shut-up! There's only one thing I came here for, and that's you, you little son of..." Joxer stormed up to the guy. The man's face was becoming more cleared, thanks to the moon light.

Joxer suddenly stopped in his tracks. He suddenly became numb. He couldn't move as he looked directly in the face of the drunken man. It was the thief. The thief you robbed that couple on the road. It was the man who killed his mother.

"You...it was you...all this time, it was you" Joxer whispered.

The thief looked over at Joxer. "What...what...what do you mean?"

Joxer put his hand around the thief's throat while the thief still remained in the strong web net. "You killed my mother. She lived in Corinth."

"Corinth? CORINTH! Y-yes...I remember well. I had no choice though. She...she threatened to put me in jail!!"

Joxer's face began to boil red. Suddenly, Joxer grabbed onto the web next, and tore it off the thief. As the thief was free, Joxer put his hand back around the man's throat.

"Well, now you're going to jail. And now, you won't be able to prevent it!"

"Y-you mean...you're not gonna kill me?"

Joxer grinned dark at the thief. "No, cause if you ever escape, I will really kill you!"

With that, Joxer spinned his organic webbing around the man, tieing him up. Joxer placed the webbed-tied up thief and web-slung away on the large trees.

"My fault. It's all my fault."

Joxer looked up at the dark sky as he laid down on his bedroll. Tears began to run down his face as he contemplated on the events that past day.

"I had the power, and I could have stopped that man. I could have stopped him when I had the chance. Those two people. Those two innocent people nearly lost everything because of my blindness, and my need for revenge."

With great power, comes great responsibility.

There was that voice again. This time he knew who it was. "Madam Webb." He whispered.

"Joxer, it's not too late. I'm sorry for your loss, but now, you have a responsibility. You must use the powers I have passed down to you in the name of good. Starting with Athens. My people need your help Joxer. WIll you do it? Have I chosen the right man for this?" Madam Webb asked.

Joxer looked out in the sky, not saying a word, He suddenly leaped up from his bedroll and wiped away his tears. He looked down over his feet.

"Joxer, are you there? Please, tell me." Madam Webb asked.

Joxer looked back up in the night sky. "You have, Madam Webb. From this day forward, I will use my powers in the name of good."

"How's he doing, Jarren."

"He's alright, Gabrielle. He just needs some rest."

Gabrielle sighed as she plopped her elbow on the table of Ephiny's and Jarren's hut in the amazon village, and rested her cheek against her hand.

"It's hard to believe, that thief who robbed those two people down on the road was your mother's killer. I'm very sorry, Jarren."

Jarren took a sip of some tea that Ephiny made for her. "The man is behind bars, where he will serve justice now. That's all that matters. "I'm just glad my brother did not kill him. Joxer's already killed once, and it really scared his entire family. Even if Mom, Dad, and Jett, and our different brother Jace are a family of warlords."

Gabrielle looked over at Jarren. "So you heard about Critus?"

Jarren looked back over at Gabrielle. "The popular and merciless warlord, yes. I heard he was Xena's rival. It is a good thing Joxer took care of him, though."

Ephiny walked in the hut, smiling at both the young women. "Gabrielle, didn't expect you to be here."

The bard smiled at her good friend. "Xena and I decided we should stay here for awhile, along with Joxer. We'll be leaving for Athens soon."

Jarren frowned at the amazon queen after Ephiny. "Will you and Xena take care of him?"

"We always do." Gabrielle rolled her eyes.

Ephiny walked over to her lover, kissing her full on the lips. This made Gabrielle a bit uncomfortable and uneasy. Sure, she got use to the idea that Jarren and Ephiny became gay lovers when Jarren came into the village to be an amazon, but it just felt...funny,

She couldn't help though feeling happy that Jarren was happy and ok with Ephiny. What she and her brother had gone through this past day was very rough for the both.

Ephiny looked over at her young friend. "Gabrielle, are you alright?"

"Wha? Oh uh...yes, I'm fine. It's just...*sigh*...I just wanna know how Joxer brought that thief into the nearest town."

"Hmm, I think Joxer said some strange warrior came by and saved him from getting his head detatched from his body. He said he couldn't see who it was." Jarren replied.

Joxer looked into the mirror of one of the empty huts in the amazon village. He was thankful Amarice was away with Xena and another group of amazons on patrol tonight. He wasn't wearing his normal clothes. Instead, he wore a blue and red suit with a small black spider design on the front, and red and bigger spider on the back. (Try to picture the new Spider-Man movie costume)

The mask he wore was red, with small dark eye holes. Almost his entire chest and upper back was red except for the sides. From the waist down, his pance were blue with red flat boots on his feet that covered his ankles. The upper part of his long sleeves were red along with the gloves over his hands, and the bottom part of his long sleeves were blue.

Over the red-colored parts of his body, a very light iron designed like web covered the red spots on his costume, except for the bottom of his new boots that were part of the costume.

Joxer slowly took off his mask as he checked himself out in the mirror.

"Joxer. The amazing spider-man." Joxer grinned.

"Spider-Man. That's a good name. Yeah..." Joxer grin became wider. "Spider-Man, protector of the innocent, and Friendly-Mycenean hero."

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