From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
       XENA SCROLLS ARCHIVE   
      
   Xena Scroll Pouch #7   
   Dispatches from the Xena Restoration Society team that translated the Xena   
   Scrolls   
   (as edited by Robert Mellette)   
      
   Pouch 7: X.R.S. Correspondence   
      
      
   Date: August 10, 1994   
      
   To: XRS   
      
   From: Mad Marvin   
      
   Re: Scroll # 805-03-V0201 "Remember Nothing"   
      
   First off, this scroll has a short but awesome hypothesis, which   
   will go far in supporting the Gabrielle-as-author theory:   
      
   "Of [this ta]le, I remember nothing. Only my com[pani]on knows   
   the truth of it, and only her trust in me [makes this] story possible."   
      
   "Remember Nothing."in his Quantum Physics lab--nothing. But something   
   about his explanation of multi- world theory, which I really dig,   
   came to mind as I read this story.   
      
   Check it: Multi-World Theory in a nutshell--whenever you have   
   a choice in life, all of the options happen. Like, say you're lost.   
   You're driving, and you're lost. You come to a cross roads. You   
   can go left, right, straight, turn around and go back, or run   
   over a nail, get a flat, and have to sleep in your car. Multi-World   
   Theory says that they *all* happen, each in their own little reality.   
   And each little reality is complete. Only a thin veil of separation   
   keeps us from recognizing the existence of billions of ourselves   
   -- all running around making different choices and splitting into   
   billions more of ourselves. And no, I'm not making this up. It's   
   those wacky physicists. It explains something about sub- atomic   
   particles... go figure. Either that or the government is experimenting   
   with hallucinogens again. Next thing you know, they'll be working   
   on Improbability Drive.   
      
   So...what's this got to do with Xena? Well, this story explores   
   an alternate reality. Check it:   
      
   "Having saved the T[emple of the] Fates, the reluctant warrioress   
   carried two deaths with her: her long lost brother, Lyceus, and   
   the newly lost boy she'd just [pushed?] to the other side."   
      
   You've all got, or will soon get, my full translation so I'll   
   do the Reader's Digested version. We have the three Fates, much   
   as we've seen them in other Greek texts. They are spinning their   
   yarn, which if you think about the Multi-world theory, is a perfect image.   
   I mean, if there are billions of Marvins running around in various   
   universes... which one is really *me*? Where does my soul lie?   
   Did I make a wrong turn somewhere, and now my life is in the wrong   
   reality? Could this explain where all of those single socks go   
   to when they're lost? Does it matter? The physicists say it doesn't.   
   Each one is you, only the situations change--and hopefully,   
   your socks. But I have a hard time with that (the multi-souls,   
   forget the socks),me feel more comfortable about my soul. I'm the   
   one on their thread. All of the strands of life intertwine to create   
   me... the one on the thread. Those others are just lint.   
      
   But Xena has doubts. She's convinced that the lint is what her   
   life is *supposed* to be, and that her thread isn't really her.   
   When the Fates offer Xena a reward for saving their temple, Xena   
   says she wishes she'd never followed the sword. Well, at first   
   glance, we might think this is a "careful what you wish for, `cause   
   you just might get it" story... but our story teller offers:   
      
   "Who can know the depths of the wisdom of the Fates? Was their   
   reward to grant the reluctant warrior's request [for it's] own   
   sake, or did they have a larger goal [objective?] in mind?"   
      
   This theme is tied to the end of the story:   
      
   "All again was as it was to be. And X[ena] knew that it was she   
   who'd [made the] choices now as she had before. The Fates' re[ward   
   might] not have been what it seemed to be. For taking back their   
   gift, is what true[ly set] her free."   
      
   (BTW, here is more metered, measured and rhymed. Like Gabrielle   
   is beginning to find her voice the more she writes.)   
      
   So we're presented with the repeated question of classical Greek   
   Myths... is it Fate or self-determination that rules our lives?   
   Einstein said, "God doesn't play dice with the Universe."after following   
   the Xena myths, I'd say, "God does play dice with the Universe,   
   but he cheats."all of the various universes... would they eventually   
   come to the same, single point in life? Will the Xena in a universe   
   where her brother didn't die, still become a warrior for good?   
   And speaking of her brother not dying, her mother does. Mythologically,   
   this suggests that there is a fixed price to pay in life. Or there   
   is a life force that requires a balance. I wonder if that's also   
   true in the world of physics. But I digress.   
      
   Gabrielle's experiences in this alternate reality offer as many   
   questions. While Xena, to a large extent, has remained Xena, Gabrielle   
   has become a beaten slave. This begs the question, can a spirit   
   be broken? And Xena's question: can a damaged spirit be re-built? Xena's   
   life is a fight to rebuild her goodness, but can she subject Gabrielle   
   to having to make that journey herself? In the end, the answer   
   is "no."certain death in a suicidal fight for a noble cause, and   
   Gabrielle has taken up the sword in vengeance. So Xena can no more   
   avoid her Fate than Oedipus could. Her return to her former reality   
   is inevitable. And Xena has learned a valuable lesson about herself.   
   As the Fates must have known all along.   
      
   Marvin   
      
   Homeless in Arizona   
      
      
   ******************Message Separator******************   
      
      
   Date: August 11, 1994   
      
   To: XRS   
      
   From: Mel Pappas   
      
   Re: Not Feeling Well   
      
   I'm at home today. Sorry I haven't been myself lately. I've been   
   feeling... I'm not sick, exactly. I don't know. I'm just restless,   
   I guess. Anyway, I'm taking the day off, in hopes that I start   
   feeling my old self again.   
      
   Araham, in my clean room is a scroll you might want to work on   
   yourself. You'll see why as you get into it.   
   Melinda   
      
      
   ******************Message Separator******************   
      
      
   Date:August 11, 1994   
      
   To: XRS   
      
   From: Mad Marvin   
      
   Re: RE: NOT FEELING WELL   
      
   hopes that I start feeling my old self again.   
      
   Your *OLD* self again!?! You're, what? 22!?! So you want to feel   
   12 again? Hehehehe, don't we all, Melinda, don't we all?   
      
   Seriously, take care little buckaroo. You've got my cell phone   
   number--and I've got frequent flier miles. Call me if you need   
   me.   
      
   Marvin   
      
   "In my mind I'm goin' ta Carolina."   
      
      
   ******************Message Separator******************   
      
      
   Date: August 12, 1994   
      
   To:   
      
   From: Janice Covington   
      
   Re: RE: SCROLL # 805-03-V0201 "REMEMBER NOTHING"   
      
   Marvin, you've blown my mind! Xena and the Multi-world theory.   
   Think we can use this to create a time line?   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)