Show it comes from: Hercules

Title: Iolaus Nibun no Ichi?

Author: Adalisa

Feedback: I love it. It's inspiring... and let's face it, it's the only real reason to keep writing.

Distribution: My site, anyone else, just ask and I'll say yes.

Summary: To help Autolycus, Circe sends Hercules and Iolaus far, far away...

Rating: R

Disclaimer: Hercules, Iolaus and all the Hercules characters belong to MCA/Universal who also own Xena. Ranma 1/2 related stuff belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. The Greek gods and goddess belong to mythology and Greek culture. I am not making any money out of this, really. I don't even get to hold them a little while. So please, don't sue. With the peso-dollar exchange, you would end up loosing money if I paid.

Content: My main goal is H/I... But there are other people who want to play with Iolaus...

Warning: This has slash, in it's m/m variation. It also has some gender-bending stuff, but nothing permanent. And it also has a little bit M/f... the first I ever write.

Spoilers: None. I have just seen five or so episodes of Hercules.

Notes: I was _not_ going to get another fandom. Really. But I had to see Hercules... and I had to like Iolaus a lot. And... and I've been working way too much with the Ranma comic. It's not really my fault. Now, this is my first Herc fic, so I apologize for any mistakes. Enjoy!

IOLAUS NIBUN NO ICHI

By Adalisa

It had been a very routine situation for Hercules and Iolaus.

In one of his all too usual bouts of madness, Argus had kidnapped Autolycus with Circe's help, and since the demi-god wouldn't leave a friend in trouble, they had rushed to save the king of thieves.

Even when Iolaus had his doubts about how Autolycus had been caught, especially since the thief had once managed to steal Artemis' bow.

The rescue itself was so simple that Iolaus thought that no bard would ever sing about it. But then they saw Circe's cauldron and Hercules couldn't risk that the spell was powerful enough to affect things far away. He called Iolaus to help him dump it's contents to the floor.

In retrospective, it probably would have been better if they hadn't.

As soon as the strange black liquid touched the floor, Earth swallowed both mortal and demi-god.

* * *

"Where did you send them?!" Autolycus yelled furious, when the floor closed again. Circe and Argus looked at him, flustered.

"Well... _you_ wanted Hercules far away..." The sorceress began, while the mad king nodded in agreement.

It was the truth. After his brief adventures with the demi-god and the golden hunter, Autolycus had decided that there was just one way to show Iolaus what a great thief he really was, and win the hunter's respect and admiration in return. He would steal Iolaus' heart.

Of course, the king of thieves knew that he wouldn't have a chance as long as Hercules was around, and to give himself time, he had asked for Circe and Argus' help.

"Where are they?!" the thief asked again, his voice quavering.

"_Very_ far away." Circe insisted, fidgeting her fingers in a very innocent way. "The other side of the world..."

"The Celtic plains?"

"The _other_ other side of the world."

"Egypt?"

"Further down..."

"...Down... The Underworld??!"

"A little bit further down..."

Autolycus drew a breath, suddenly wondering what had he been thinking when he had asked them for help. "Where?"

* * *

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Hercules could hear Iolaus' scream, followed by a loud splash of water before falling in a deep pond. He struggled to get out, managing to reach dry land, only to find himself in a misty valley, full of similar ponds with slender poles growing inside of them.

There was no sign of his friend.

"Iolaus!!"

"You be very lucky, sir." A short round man told him, walking towards the pound where the hero had fell. "Most who fall in spring drown or..."

"Did you saw someone else fall with me?" Hercules asked, not pausing to think where could have Circe send them.

"Many... many people come here. Many animals come here. Some drown... Most wish they not come here in first place."

Hercules opened his mouth to ask again, when a moan called his attention.

He ran to one of the springs in the middle of the valley, just in time to see a golden blond head coming up for hair. He rushed to dive inside, in order to help his friend, but the strange man he had found there, ran to interrupt him.

"No, no sir! Very bad if you fall in spring!!" The little man yelled, moving his hands around.

"Herc? Where are we?" Iolaus' voice sounded confused and a bit too high.

"Aiyah!!" The man shrieked, pointing towards the hunter who was splashing his way out of the spring. "Terrible luck, sir! You fell in , the spring of drown girl! Very, very tragic story about young girl who drown there twenty years ago. Now whoever falls on spring, takes body of girl!"

"What?!!!" Iolaus' already high tone rose two notches, and the demi-god forced himself to look at his friend.

Iolaus' frame was around an inch shorter, less bulky... his golden hair seemed a little bit longer... and his chest...

"Gods... Iolaus... !!" Hercules could not find words and the hunter only had to follow his eyes to the very feminine seductive breast that now were part of his body to understand why.

"No... Nonononononono.... This is _not_ happening..." Iolaus began hyperventilating, and mercifully, he fainted.

* * *

"Eeyyyahh!!! That's hot!!!!" Iolaus screamed as hot water was poured over him. The Hunter sat immediately, grabbing the pot from the strange man.

"See?" The man said, ignoring the complains. "Hot water works. Hot water reverses effect of curse."

Iolaus looked down his body, gratefully noting that it was a male body instead of the female nightmare that he had witnessed before fainting. He hugged himself as he shouted with triumph, and Hercules' laughter joined in.

"You should have seen your face, Iolaus..." The hero pointed, although his laughter was more to hide his own nervousness than to mock his old friend. Looking at Iolaus' temporal female body had made him feel strange... stirrings towards the hunter, and Hercules had been more than relieved when the hot water had reverted his friend to his original form.

"I'm surprised you could see my face." Iolaus answered between giggles, even when in the brief second when he had noticed that Hercules was watching his breast he had gone from shocked, to praised, to shamed... And he was not going to think about that. "Now... how can we return to Greece?"

"Sirs... there is something you should know..." The man began, only to be interrupted by the smiling hero.

"You said that many people come here... How can we return to the Greek plains?"

The round man seemed to consider it a little before pointing south, to a cave half hidden by the place's vegetation. " That way... some people come... The way go far from Jusenkyo, far from Hida... may be the right way for you, sirs... Or you can go east... Amazon tribe nearby... very good food, by the way. I think... West has barbarian rules... North is too cold"

"With those signals, one has to have a terrible sense of direction to get here." The hero noted, as he looked at the cave. "I think the cave is our best bet."

"It better be... I don't want to see that damn pond ever again!!" Iolaus stood up, glad to see that his clothes no longer looked saggy around the female body. "You should put a sign or something here! You could give a man a heart attack!!"

"You looked kind of cute..." Hercules ventured, as he followed Iolaus through the cave. None of them paid any attention to the man who kept trying to make them listen to his warning.

"Sirs! Sirs!" Finally, the man gave up as soon as he got to the front of the cave. "Too late... They will have to find out the rest alone... No one is careful walking here. Too bad we don't have a spring of drown man yet."

A faint splash at his back called his attention, and he just sent a silent prayer to his gods, to make them protect the two strange men.

* * *

"I just want you to promise that there's no way you'll tell a word to anyone!" Iolaus said, as they finally reached the end of the cave.

They had been walking for two weeks, only stopping to eat a little of their reserves, or whatever they found inside the cave, not trying to think too much about what those were. As a result, when they came out to the sun, they were dirty, tired and more than a little annoyed.

"I'm sure that Gabrielle would love to make a tale about it..." Hercules was in a better mood than Iolaus, mostly because he was sure that when they reached familiar plains, the whole situation could be laughed at as one more of their more ridiculous adventures. "And besides, who would ever believe us, Iolaus?"

"Herc... do you think we can block the entrance of the cave?" As he spoke, the hunter rubbed his arms, a little nervous. "I don't want to think what would happen if any of our enemies found out about that valley..."

"I don't think we have to worry, Iolaus... The change was only temporal, and we know the cure..."

"Still... look Herc, the man said that more things drown in there... Do you want to try and pour hot water on a cat? Just think if more than one thing drowned in one of those ponds? Do you want to picture a half-gorilla, half-bull, half-snake, half-swan monster?!"

Finally, the hero nodded, and used his amazing strength to move a giant boulder big enough to cover the opening on the mountain, wondering how much time would have to pass for Iolaus to forget the whole incident.

As things turned out, _he_ would never forget it.

* * *

They walked in relative silence, and soon both started to recognize the landscape. Iolaus had a curious theory about the distance they had walked in the cave, but as he began considering magic as a part of it, the blond man let it go.

It was near sunset when Hercules heard the river, and convinced Iolaus to call it a day, so they could rest, and get clean. The demi-god knew that most of Iolaus' bad temper came from the fact that they hadn't been able to wash the dirt from the cave, and his friend was a little of a cleanness- freak.

Trees that filtered the sunlight surrounded the river, and in no time, the heroes found a nice spot to set up their camp. As soon as they built a fire, Hercules stripped from his clothes, and jumped headfirst in the river, enjoying the cold water as he swam, letting his body relax.

After cleaning himself thoroughly, he was thinking of getting out when he realized that Iolaus had only took off his clothes, and had barely dipped his feet on the water. Puzzled, Hercules looked at his friend, who started walking almost with fear to the center of the river, as if the cold water could burn him.

"C'mon, Iolaus! This is not a cursed river! You can dive in freely!" As he talked, Hercules saw how Iolaus smiled sarcastically and finally reached a point where the water barely covered his waist.

"I just want to take things easy!" The hunter answered, as he began to splash some water over his arms.

Hercules sighed, and turned up to see the sky. He knew that sometimes it was hard to overcome some of the worst curses that the gods enjoyed to put on unsuspecting people. He himself had had some troubles eating pork meat after Discord had used Artemis' bow against him. But even so, that was no excuse to be afraid of an innocuous river.

While his friend was practically tip-toeing around the water, Hercules start to wade closer, trying not to make any noise that alerted Iolaus of his plan. Sure, it was juvenile, and a prank that he hadn't played in a very long time. But it was just what they needed to ease the tension they had felt in the cave, and even when he didn't want to admit it out loud... Well, he needed to touch his friend, now that the curse had been reversed, to forget the strange feelings he had when he saw Iolaus as a girl.

With god-like speed, Hercules caught Iolaus from the waist, and dunked him under the water, just enough to make his friend struggle a little. As soon as he let go of his friend's head, Hercules stepped back, anticipating the friendly wrestling match with a very angry hunter.

"What did you do that for?!!!" Iolaus yelled at him, as water poured down from his head. Hercules was about to say something, but all words were lost as the hunter walked towards him. "I told you I was going to... " Iolaus stopped, his eyes wide open with shock and fear. "...What's wrong with my voice?"

Hercules wanted to explain, but he could only stare at Iolaus, whose body had changed back in that of a female... a very healthy female by the look of it. The pang he felt when he saw Iolaus' coming out of the cursed pound could not compare to what he was feeling now, fully aware that Iolaus was completely naked... And he knew that those were not the kind of feelings he should be having about his best 'male' friend. "It... it happened again..." Hercules finally managed to stutter, trying mightily not to see the round... lovely, firm breast of his friend.

"Oh, gods... no...nonononono... NO!" Iolaus started negating with his head, as he moved backwards, away from Hercules. "Not again! The man said I was cured!!"

"Iolaus... maybe..." Hercules tried to reach the man... ehm... woman before him, but Iolaus just ran to get his clothes... giving his friend a very good look of her butt while doing so.

"Maybe what?! Maybe he was wrong? Maybe it's not the water but me?!!" Iolaus put on his pants hastily, fidgeting a little to make them fit to her small waist, then turning around furious, as she pointed to her breast. "What am I supposed to do if I look like this?! Become Iolaus, the warrior maiden?!!"

"Iolaus, the man said that hot water reversed the effect of the curse... not that it cured it. I think we made a mistake... we should have listened to whatever he was trying to say when we left..." Hercules walked very slowly to the place where he had drop his clothes, wondering if Iolaus was feeling as uncomfortable as him.

"What do you mean?! That this curse is permanent but I can change back as long as I don't get wet?" Hercules couldn't stop the smile that came to him as he heard Iolaus' feminine voice. It was not that high compared to the hunter's male tone, and since the speech pattern hadn't changed, it was not hard for the hero to picture his friend as if nothing had happened. As long as he didn't turned around to stare at Iolaus' bare tempting chest, and pay no attention to the way in which the remaining drops of water made her ahm... his skin gleam, or the way in which the cold air made his... her nipples stand.

"We only need hot water to test that theory."

"And what are we supposed to use to warm the water?!" The blonde hunter lay down on his vest, near the fire. "Admit it Herc... my life is ruined."

"Iolaus... it's only until we get to a village... Then...well, we just have to be careful..." The son of Zeus didn't want to think about what that would entail, since Iolaus' half-naked body kept distracting him. "Could... could you cover yourself?"

Surprisingly, this seemed to anger Iolaus even more, as the hunter turned around, fury clear in his eyes. "Why should I?! It's not like you have never seen me naked before, and we have shared a bed when it's needed!! And _MEN_ do not need to cover their chests if they don't want to!!" To prove his point, he simply lay down to face the sky, and closed his eyes trying to sleep and forget this madness.

* * *

Hercules watched in silence as the female Iolaus looked at his reflection in the river, naked and shivering, only covered by the water that reached her waist. He had a strange sense of deja-vu, as if the scene unfolding before his eyes had been played before.

"My life is ruined... now what can I do?" Iolaus sobbed, as she hugged her body. "I am a man, not a woman!"

"Iolaus..." The hero waded to meet his friend, grabbing her shoulders from behind as he had done many times when he wanted to comfort the golden hunter. "It might be not that bad.... You are the same person, no matter the body you're in..."

"Am I?" Iolaus turned around in the demigod embrace, and Hercules had to repress a gasp as he meet the breath-taking blue eyes of his friend. He had never seen Iolaus' eyes shine like that... or maybe he had, and tried not to notice. Now, with his arms enveloping the female form of the hunter, Hercules couldn't but wonder why he had never fell in those endless pools. "Do you still see me as a fellow warrior? As the one who has watched your back? Or now I am just like the girls we used to help in every village and then leave behind?"

Hercules tried to answer, but the words couldn't reach his mouth. He was mesmerized by the beauty he was holding, trying to understand what he was feeling. The gorgeous eyes blinked once, sadly, and the hero realized that he had hesitated too long.

"You see? If you cannot see me as a man... why should the others?" Iolaus shrugged and tried to escape, but Hercules hugged him tightly, for the first time acknowledging his friend's new body, realizing that it was true... He was not seeing his friend, but a beautiful woman... The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Still, it was not so different... in the inside, she was still Iolaus, his most beloved and trusted friend... Outside.... Even if there were some notorious differences, Hercules could see the features he knew so well, only softened. The square chin was now round, her eyes were bigger... but still Iolaus' piercing eyes, defined with the same long lashes Hercules had often admired in his friend. She was Iolaus, and all her beauty was something the demi-god had never dared to see in the hunter.

"I only can see you as you are, Iolaus." Hercules said, as he caressed Iolaus' soft cheek, tilting her face up without taking his eyes from hers. "And what counts, is what you are inside."

"Herc..."

That little word was all it took, the friendly nickname that Iolaus had always used with him. Even before he could see what he was doing, Hercules leaned down, and kissed Iolaus' lips gently, almost inquisitive, amazed when he felt Iolaus respond beneath his caress.

Without thinking, Hercules tightened his embrace at the same time he drank the essence of Iolaus' lips, as he felt the hunter arms come to his back, fully accepting the fact that the demi-god was hugging him as a woman, and answering in kind.

They did not break the kiss until Hercules lowered his hands to touch Iolaus' ass, when his friend backed up startled. "Who are you kissing, Herc?" Iolaus asked, her voice firm.

"You." This time, there was no hesitation, the demi-god meet his friend's eyes, sure of his answer. "I'm kissing you."

As the kisses grew in intensity, Hercules started to explore Iolaus' body, trying to make himself familiar with the curves and softness where he knew there should be hardness. He caressed her breasts with his tongue, gently nibbling her nipples, smiling when he heard Iolaus' moan with pleasure.

Neither of them noticed that the water was getting warmer, and, even if they did, they didn't care. Suddenly, all that mattered was to get as close as possible, to mold inside the other's body.

Encouraged by Iolaus' moans, Hercules began trailing a path over the huntress' belly, to the wet spot between her thighs, lapping the lips of her untouched vagina, and caressing her clitoris with his tongue. The sudden move made Iolaus arch her body under the water, that was now a hot spring... and then Hercules found himself embracing a male figure, face to face with Iolaus' erect cock.

And the demi-god found that even when he had never thought of his friend in this intimate way, he could not stop himself. He continued with a long lick up the length of Iolaus's penis before engulfing it, savoring the slightly different taste in his mouth. Trying to regain a little semblance of control, he nibbled gently the inside of Iolaus' thigh, licking the hunter's balls. It didn't help much, as Hercules found himself burning from a hunger that nothing could calm.

Nothing but the bittersweet taste of Iolaus' essence.

* * *

Hercules opened his eyes to see a very angry Iolaus looking down at him.

"Is that a hammer in your pocket or you're just happy to see me?" The hunter asked her tone capable of freezing ice.

"Iolaus... I..." As the hero tried to explain, memories of his dream came to his mind and Hercules could only blush. Why Morpheus had decided to punish him like this?

"Don't." Iolaus held her hand up, with so bad luck that his vest fluttered open, revealing one of her breasts and Hercules could help but notice it. Of course, Iolaus noticed and it only made her angrier." I can't believe you! Just last night you were saying that this wouldn't change anything between us... and I wake up to see you... like this?!" She waved her hands in the general direction of Hercules' erection, refusing to meet the hero's eyes. "MEN!!"

"But... Iolaus.. you..." Hercules couldn't make his mouth work. Iolaus' mood was even worse than the night before, and the demi-god was fully aware that he had some blame to take for it. But still, it wouldn't help him if Iolaus started acting more like a female. "You know how it is... It has happened to you too..."

"Of course I know how it is! I am a Man! But I never woke up with a hard-on after spending the night at _your_ side!!" At Hercules' hurt gaze, Iolaus' rage seemed to lessen. "Look, Herc... I'm sorry, I was jumping to conclusions... you were probably dreaming of Xena or Nemesis... I... I just want this nightmare to end."

"It's o.k. Iolaus... No harm done." Hercules forced himself to smile, and then he stood to his feet, stretching his arms. "Look... it will only take us some time to get used to all this."

"Sure..." The blonde shook her head, before looking away. "I guess now you're the one who will have to fish every time we're near a river" Iolaus smiled, then walked away. "I'll get some wood for the fire, o.k? You... can take care of things..."

Hercules waited until Iolaus was out of sight, before letting out a breath. He couldn't tell his friend about his strange dream, especially when he was not so sure of it's meaning.

He knew that Iolaus made a very attractive woman, so it really didn't surprise him that he reacted to her. But the end of the dream had been very clear... and he had been more excited when holding Iolaus' male body.

He could remember how Iolaus had looked in his dream, his male body arched back while Hercules sucked his cock... and it was all it took to make Hercules cum.

Groaning, the demigod walked to the river determined to clean himself before Ioalus returned.

** Things cannot get worse than this**

SERIES END PART ONE