Levels to Zero

 Frost stared at Ryan in anticipation.

 After they left Xena's clinic room, she had requested his presence in her office, and she had given him a hard look filled with disappointment.

 The last time she had given him that look was when he had gone against her orders and had nearly gotten himself killed.

 She sat in her chair, her aura powerful as always, she stared at him like how she would a disobedient child, and he had the urge to lower his head in shame.

 But he refrained, he wasn't a child anymore and he wasn't a guilty child.

 He knew he was in for an ear full, Ryan had been his mother figure ever since she found him and Anna in a ruble that used to be their home. She rescued them from their destroyed village, raised them as her own, taught them everything she knew. She would always be his mother, and his mentor.

 Furthermore, she let out a disappointed sigh.

 "You hurt her Frost" she began, and his eyes furrowed in confusion, he hadn't hurt anybody.

 He was well aware of his strength and as such he avoided certain actions that required him doing more than he should, strength wise.

 "Xena, she told me you assaulted her yesterday, I understand that you were simply doing a tour job, but you could have been a little more careful, she was very bruised."

 He rolled his eyes, of course Ryan was giving him shit for the over pampered princess, so what if she had a bruise, it probably wasn't serious enough for her to be rushed to the clinic like she was epileptic.

 Before he could comment on how she was probably over reacting, Ryan interrupted him.

 "I'm being serious, Frost, I saw the bruise, did you hit her?"

 "What? No, why would I?" he replied, alarmed by her train of thought.

 "I don't know, maybe because you don't like her, and you don't hide it, that girl has been through enough Frost, she doesn't need any more bullshit from you."

 He disagreed, but nonetheless nodded his head in understanding.

 Except he didn't understand, what had the newbie been through.

 Relaxing back in her chair, she looks at him, her decision final, he had to learn his lesson.

 It sounded like a bad idea, but she knew it would work. She hoped it would work.

 "Frost, you will be Xena'guardian" she declared

 "What?" Xena screeched.

 She had finally been discharged from the clinic, the doctor had checked all her vitals.

 She was okay, her bruise had faded, but the pain remained.

 Anna had escorted her into Ryan's office, she had expected anything but what she heard.

 No it couldn't be, why did it have to be Frost?

 All eyes were on her, but she didn't seem to care as she stomped her way towards Ryan's desk, the pleas falling from her lips.

 "Please Ryan, I would do anything, just not him, anyone but him

 she was so upset about the new that her side pain felt like an afterthought.

 He didn't know if he should have been offended by her outburst, or if he should have been happy that she didn't want anything to do with him, either.

 He didn't know why, but his emotions tilted towards anger, how dare she think he wasn't good enough for her. Who did she want? Kai.

 "I don't want to be your guardian either, princess, but we all can't get everything we want.

 Ryan let out a breath, this was going to be a hard watch.

 Xena turned back to him, a fire lit in her eyes as she sneered; "Yeah, well, I don't want to be guided by an imbecile either."

 "What did you just call me?" he questioned, taking a step closer to her.

 She raised her head deviantly and squared her shoulders unafraid, she was ready to defend her self this time, she wasn't going to sit back and take his insults like she was a dummy.

 "That's enough, both of you, that is my decision, and it is final, if you don't like it take it up with me." Ryan interrupted, her voice firm.

 She was really tired of their childish antics.

 Anna found them funny, like an old couple who loved each other but argued a lot.

 Ryan, ignored the death stares the two of them gave each other, instead she gave a nod to Anna to get the mirror needed for the ceremony.

 Xena looked away from Frost, instead she admired the interior of the office.

 It was quite the sight, it was beautiful. It was too modern for the old liking cathedral.

 The desk was made of dark oak, it was o well polished, she wondered how long Ryan had had the desk for it to still look brand new.

 And on the walls behind it were well arranged weapons, ranging from knives to swords, and guns, with staffs that had glittering jewels on it.

 She turned her head in circles, admiring the beauty of it all, for the first time in years, it felt like she had stepped into a fantasy, with the bookshelves that aligned the walls, they glittered like they were coated with gold.

 The sound of something rolling on the hard wood floor had her snapping her head in the direction of the sound.

 Anna pushed what was covered with a large gray cloth, whatever it was it looked heavy, and she was glad she wasn't the one who was tasked with pushing that thing.

 "What is that?" Xena questioned.

 "A mirror, but here we call her Lolita, she is all you need for your mirroring ceremony" Ryan replied.

 Xena nodded her head, even though she had no idea what Ryan was talking about.

 "So what am I supposed to do? Talk to it?" Xena questioned.

 Ryan rolled her eyes, the child really was something else.

 "You stand before it, and it tells you what level you are" Anna supplied

 She stood in front of it, expecting the worst. What she had not expected was for the mirror to shatter.