A TALE OF TWO MUSES

Xena and Gabrielle travel across a desert and enter a town to get some new shoes. They find Tara there and save her from being punished for dancing. That's right. Dancing. The chief magistrate, Istafan, allows her to be banished instead of whipped. However, they soon return to town because Tara's got a mind to change things. She apologizes to the community and to Istafan. He shows her mercy enough to let her stay. That night, Xena regrets having fried food and Gabrielle feels the forbidden urge to dance. Later, a reformer named Philipon arrives. (It's Autolycus in disguise. Xena sent for him.) He preaches about the evils of dancing and goes around reforming the town. A townsman named Andros dances secretly with Tara and tells her he's leaving. (He wants her to go with him.) Xena learns of this and convinces them that running away isn't the answer. Stand and fight. Elsewhere, Philipon senses Gabby's unresolved energy. "I can tell you need to get...." "-Dancing!" Soon, Xena and Gabrielle lead the town's kids into their new choreographed military training exercises. Gabby's shoes have new metal patches on them. So, she does something a lot like tap dancing. We then learn that the kids will be taught how to kill. After all this egging on, Andros' dad finally protests. He announces his intention to run against Istafan in the upcoming election. Later, Istefan stages an assassination attempt which Xena quickly uncovers. A dance!