Magical Demon

Chapter 33 - A Witch's Tail, Part 2

Piper, Paris and Paige were sitting the on the couch. Leo orbed in. He was soaking wet. Piper looked at him. “Leo, the Persian.”

“I found Phoebe.” Leo told them.

Piper looked around her. “You did? Well, why didn’t you bring her?”

Leo sighed. “She’s too fast… and slippery.”

“It’s official. Phoebe’s on the run.” Paige comment.

“On the swim, technically.” Leo corrected. Paris let out a chuckle.

Piper frowned. “Well, what the heck is she swimming from? She’s got billboards, TV interviews, she got her divorce, she should be loving life.”

Paige sighed. “That’s right, you don’t know.”

“She should.” Paris comment.

Piper looked at Paige. “I don’t know what?”

“Well, I didn’t wanna make you mad, you know, you getting so panicky and all.” Paige replied.

Piper looked at her. “Yes, we’ve established, I was a spineless coward in the face of evil. Now, what don’t I know?”

“Ben’s back.” Paige replied. Piper started to panic.

“Lovely.” Paris comment sarcastically.

Leo had his eyes widen. “What? Why don’t I know about this?”

“What Phoebe told me confidentially.” Paige replied.

Leo looked at her. “Yes, but I’m your Whitelighter. As a witch you have a duty to let me know this sort of thing.”

“I have a greater duty to my sister.” Paige told him.

Leo looked at them. “Excuse me, but he’s the former Source of all Evil.” Piper tried to get their attention. “This is not something you just sweep under the rug.” Then Piper fell on the floor. Leo, Paris and Paige run over to her. “Oh! Hey!! Breathe. Take a deep breath, take a deep breath.” They helped her up and she sat on the couch.

Piper looked panicked. “Does he want my baby?”

“Oh, no honey, of course not. He’s in love, he wants Phoebe back.” Paige replied.

Paris sat next to Piper. “Piper, stay calm.” She side hugged her sister.
Leo looked at them. He had a idea. “Hey, that’s it. If Ben and Phoebe declare their love…”

Paige finished. “Ben’s love is the problem, not the solution.”

“Paige, I know you hate Ben…” Piper was interrupted.

Paige nodded. “Yeah, I do, I loathe and despise him, but that’s not the point. Mylie said that mermaids are cold hearted, maybe that’s why my spell turned Phoebe into a mermaid in the first place.”

“Wait a minute, we’re talking about Phoebe here. Since when did Phoebe become cold-hearted?” Piper asked.

Paris shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Paige sighed. “Well, maybe she’s been in the deep freeze ever since Ben came back.”

“So where do we go next?” Leo asked.

Paige sighed. “I don’t know. Book Of Shadows, Library of Congress, Internet. Anywhere we can to get rid of Phoebe’s tail.”

“Yeah, lets.” Paris agreed.

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Much time later, Phoebe and Leo were there on the couch. Leo was dabbing Phoebe’s wound with a cloth. “Ouch.” Phoebe groaned. Paris walked into the living room.

“Sorry, I was a medic, not a vet.” Leo comment.

Paige walked in holding a jug of water and a cup. “Here’s your water.”

“Oh.” Phoebe slurped it down. “Ugh, could use a little salt.”

Paris made a face. “Best not.”

Leo looked at Phoebe. “That’s about all I can do for you.”

Phoebe nodded. “Okay, well, good enough.” She looked at Paige and Leo. “Will one of you orb me back to the ocean please.”

“Wait, isn’t there a demon after you?” Paige asked.

Then Piper walked down the stairs. “Demon? Did somebody say demon?”

“Yeah, one chased Phoebe back home.” Leo replied.

Piper looked at Phoebe. “Well, that was nice of it, welcome home.”

“This isn’t my home anymore.” Phoebe told her.

“It is your home.” Paris hissed at her.

Piper sighed. “So, what about this demon? Where is it? I’d like to thank it and then kill it.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Paige asked to Piper. Paris looked worried at her older sister.

“Yeah, never better. Ready to face my fears.” Piper stared at a painting on the wall. “Like that painting. I hung it on the wall because I was afraid to tell Leo that it was ugly but now…” She blows it up. “No offense, honey.” Then she sat on the couch. “So, uh, what does this demon look like?”

“Tall, dark and skeletal. Shoots electricity.” Phoebe replied.

“Hmm. Not very helpful.” Paris comment.

“Paige, we need the Book of Shadows, can you orb it down here?” Piper asked to Paige.

Paige looked surprised. “You want me to use magic for household chores? I thought you had a total fear of personal gain?”

“Ah, see, there’s that word again, fear. It’s very debilitating. Just do as I ask.” Piper replied to her.

Paige sighed. “Book of Shadows.” The book orbed into Paige’s hands and she handed it to Piper.

Phoebe looked at them. “Okay, um, I told you everything I know. Can I go home now?”

“You are home.” Paris replied.

“And you’re insane if you think that I am going to take you anywhere.” Paige added.

“Relax, Paris, Paige, everything will be fine.” Piper reassured them.

Leo looked at Piper. “Glad you’re so calm. Why are you so calm?”

Piper looked irritated. “Well, I just did as you suggested and now I feel fine. So can we save Phoebe?”

“Okay, you guys, I don’t need saving. Okay, all I need are my sea friends and little shiny objects and to lay on a rock and to comb out my hair. I need water.” Phoebe reached for the jug.

Just then Piper found Necron in the Book of Shadows. “Got him.”

Phoebe drank straight from the jug. “Yeah, that’s him.”

Leo looked at the book. “Necron… A skeletal being that hovers between life and death. Has the power to incinerate any living…”

“Yada, yada, yada.” Piper interrupted him.

Paris made a face. Paige looked at the page. “No wonder he’s after Phoebe. If mermaids are immortal and he’s stuck between life and death, then immortality would place him squarely in the life column.”

“Well, he cannot have my immortality. Will someone please get me back to the ocean before I suffocate.” Phoebe shouted at the end. “I need the water!”

Paige looked irritated. “You want water? I’ll get you some water.”

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Piper put an ingredient in a pot and it exploded, blowing everything in the room to pieces. Piper was knocked backwards. “Oops.”

Paige and Paris rushed in. “What is going on? Are you okay?”

“Minor setback, it’s fine.” Piper replied to her.

Then Paige grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out some small fires. “Minor setback? The room is on fire! You’re supposed to be figuring out a way to vanquish Necron, not yourself.”

Piper looked at her sisters. “Oh, come on, we weren’t using any of this junk anyway. Where’s the fish girl?”

“She’s downstairs cooling off in the tub.” Paige replied.

Paris frowned. “What are you mixing up here anyway?”

“Oh, a little burdock root and, uh, some eye of newt.” Piper replied.

Paige had her eyes widen. “What? You’re never ever supposed to mix those two things together. That is a volatile combination.”

Piper shrugged. “Well, Necron’s a serious threat, we need a serious potion. Did you know in the book there’s a 'witches be warned' on skeletal beings? The last two that vanquished him, actually the only two that vanquished him, died in the process.”

“Not so great.” Paris muttered.

“Great, so the rate you’re going you’ll be number three. You know, you oughta be more careful.” Paige told her.

Piper looked at them. “Hey, a good plan violently executed this week is better than a perfect plan executed next week. That’s Patton.”

Paris frowned. “Why are you quoting Patton?”

“So I figure if I just double the burdock root…” Piper bended down to pick something up.

Paige slammed her hand away. “Ay, no touch. I don’t want you or my unborn niece around that.” Piper sighed. Then the doorbell rang. “You shouldn’t be inhaling all this smoke when you’re pregnant anyway.”

“Me neither.” Paris added.

Piper went to answer the door. “Ah, Paige, you’re such a worry wart.”

Just then Leo walked in. “What happened?”

“We were just getting ready to kick some demon ass. That’s what we do, right?” Piper hit Leo on the butt. The doorbell rang again. “I’ll get it, it’s probably Phoebe’s interview.” She went downstairs.

Paris made a face. “Ew.”

“Well, send them away!” Paige shouted, hoping Piper would hear her. Then Leo walked over to Paige. “Don’t look at me, she’s your wife.”

“Does it seem like she overcame her fear a little quickly to you?” Leo asked them.

“Its weird.” Paris replied.

Paige sighed. “I don’t know. I guess it’s better than her almost having a nervous breakdown like she was this morning.”

“Not so sure.” Leo walked over to the wall with Piper’s chalk writings on it.
Paige frowned. “What are you looking at?”

“See if she had any help.” Leo replied.

Paige looked at him. “Magical help? Piper would never do that.” She saw the fearless spell on the wall. “Oh, no, it’s a fearless spell. Piper wrote a fearless spell.”

Just then Phoebe shouted from downstairs. “Paige! Paris!”

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Piper was listening against the bathroom door. Paige, Paris and Leo walked down the hallway. “What is going on? We heard Phoebe’s scream…”

Piper shushed her. “Shh… She’s doing a TV interview.”

“In the bathtub?” Paige asked.

Piper waved it off. “Don’t worry she’s not showing any tail. That Nancy O’Dell has, like, perfect teeth.”

Leo looked at her. “You can’t be serious. You’re risking exposure to all of us.”

“Now see there’s your risk-aversion side rearing its ugly head again.” Piper told him.

Paris looked at her sister. “Piper, we know you cast a fearless spell.”

“Not a fearless spell, a freedom spell.” Piper corrected as she looked at her sisters and her husband. “You told me to get rid of my fear so that’s what I did.”

“Yes, but you didn’t get rid of it, you just suppressed it.” Leo corrected her.

Piper looked at him. “Well, what’s the difference? I’m free to be myself and to help others be themselves.”

“Okay, but Phoebe’s self is a mermaid, and that self is about to be broadcast on the six o’clock news unless we stop it fast.” Paige told them.

“Yeah that.” Paris sighed.

Piper scoffed. “Now, see, you’re only seeing the downside here.”

Paris frowned. “What’s the upside?”

“The upside is Phoebe loves her job more than anything else and doing this interview will remind her of that and help bring her to her senses.” Piper replied to her.

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Just then Piper, Paige, Paris and Leo walked in. “Okay, we’re gonna have to end this now.” Paige told to the tv people.

“Really, just leave.” Paris added.

“It’s okay, ask one more question.” Phoebe comment.

Nancy looked at Phoebe. “Um, well, so back to your advice to lovers, it’s so real, so heartfelt, especially lately. Is there a lucky guy in your life that you get your inspiration from?”

“No, there’s not.” Phoebe replied.

Nancy looked at her. “Really? Then what’s with all the love columns?”

Paige realised something. Phoebe shook with her head. “I don’t know.”

Just then Paige spoke up. “I think I do. Okay, I’m sorry, we’re really going to have to wrap this up. Leo.”

“Okay, come on, I’ll show you downstairs.” Leo told them.

Nancy frowned. “But we’re not finished yet.”

“I think you are.” Leo told her sternly.

Nancy blinked. “Oh. We’ll reschedule. I’ll have my people call your people, okay.”

Phoebe nodded. “Thanks.”

“Alright, bye-bye.” Nancy comment.

Piper waved. “Bye, Nance.”

“Bye-bye.” Nancy comment. Leo, Nancy and her crew leave.

Piper looked at Phoebe. “So how do you feel?”

“Actually, thanks to you, I feel free.” Phoebe replied to her. “Free from the shallowness of human pursuit. From craving wealth and fame. Now all I crave is the serenity of the sea.”

Paige looked at Piper. “Ooh, good job on the fearless spell.”

“What fearless spell?” Phoebe asked confused.

Just then the two ravens flew onto a tree branch outside the window.
“What the heck is their problem?” Piper asked as then they heard a zapping noise in the hallway. “Orb Phoebe to the attic and take Paris with you.”

“What about you?” Paige asked.

“Just do it.” Piper replied as then Paige, Paris and Phoebe orbed away.

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Phoebe, Paige, Paris and Leo were there. Phoebe was spraying herself with a water sprayer. Paige was writing a spell. Paris helped her. “How long is this spell gonna take?” Leo asked.

“I don’t know, it’s tricky, there’s a lot of factors involved.” Paige replied to him.

Phoebe sighed. “Okay, why can’t we just orb to Necron and try the vanquishing potion that Piper was working on?”

“Because Piper was under the influence when she mixed that potion, as you can tell by the lovely remains of our burned out attic.” Paige replied.

“Not a lovely side to see, btw.” Paris added.

Leo looked at them. “So what happened?”

“Well, thanks to her fearless spell she went straight to an offensive place with her explosion potion and I don’t think that’s the answer.” Paige replied.

Leo looked at them. “Why not? It sounds good to me right now.”

Paris scoffed. “Well, because the last two witches that vanquished skeletal beings were vapourised in the process. I think a Power of Four spell is our best chance of killing Necron and staying alive.”

“Can you sense her?” Phoebe asked.

Leo nodded. “Yeah.”

Phoebe looked at him. “Is she hurt?”

Leo shrugged. “Who knows? All I can sense is courage. Lots and lots of courage.”

“Well, don’t worry, honey, he’s not going to kill her, he needs her alive if he’s gonna get to me.” Phoebe replied.

“Hopefully not.” Paris comment.

Paige nodded. “Yeah, well, we still have to hurry before Piper does something stupid, like get Nancy O’Dell an exclusive with Necron.”

Leo frowned. “You know, I’m beginning to wonder if this whole Power of Four spell is even worth it.”

“What do you mean?” Phoebe asked.

“Well, firstly, it’s not really a Power of Four spell. It’s more like a power of three and a half spell, considering you’re half a witch. Secondly, I’m afraid my fearless wife won’t let us interfere to take on Necron.” Leo replied.

Phoebe agreed. “She isn’t exactly using her best judgment right now.”

Leo sighed. “I don’t even know why she cast that spell, you know, I could’ve helped her through it.”

“Try to see where she’s coming from. She’s barely been able to function and she blames herself for what happened to… Phoebe.” Paige told him. Paris nodded.

Phoebe frowned. “What do you mean what happened to Phoebe? What happened to me is the best thing that ever happened to me. I am swimming with the dolphins now, I am basking with belugas.”

“Uh, Leo, I actually think I’ve got something but I need to talk to you about it alone.” Paige told to Leo.

“I will stay with Phoebe then.” Paris added.

Phoebe looked at them. “Okay, you see? This is exactly why I love being a mermaid. There are no secrets under water, you know, there are no walls to keep you trapped.”

“Okay, enough. Uh, Leo, downstairs.” Paige and Leo leave the attic.

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Phoebe, Paris and Paige took Leo’s hands and he started to orb out to the beach. “Where’s Paige?” Phoebe asked. Paris shrugged as then Leo orbed out.

Phoebe was basking in the sun on a rock. Paris sat on the ground.  Leo orbed in beside her. “Paige wasn’t in the manor, I don’t know where the hell she is.”

“Okay, well, forget her, let’s go find Piper.” Phoebe told them.

Leo nodded. “Yeah, but she needs the Power of Four to take on Necron. He’s hurting her again.”

Paris looked sad. “Not good.”

Phoebe looked at them. “He wants me, I’m going alone.”

Leo shook with his head. “No.”

“I agree with that. Just no.” Paris added.

Phoebe looked at them. “Leo, Paris, I can’t let anything happen to Piper and the baby.”

Leo looked at her. “Yeah, but Phoebe…”

Phoebe looked at them. “You two wait here for Paige. I’m gonna go buy us some time.”

“God damn it.” Paris scolded her.

“Phoebe!” Leo shouted. Phoebe jumped in the water and swam away.

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Leo and Paris were waiting there. Paige orbed in. “Where you been?”

“I forgot the vanquishing spell in the attic.” Paige replied.

“Do you have it now?” Paris asked as Paige nodded.

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Paige, Paris and Leo orbed in cavern. Leo rushed over to Piper. “Honey, it’s okay, I’m here.” Necron zapped Leo and he flow across the room.

Paige hide behind a statue. Paris hide by another. “Phoebe!” Necron zapped the statue. “Shell!” The shell orbed onto Necron’s heart. Paige rushed over to Piper and hold her hand. Then Paris rushed over as well. She took Paige other hand. “Piper, take Phoebe’s hand.” She did so. “Prepare for a big blast. ‘Tide of evil washed ashore, bring its darkness evermore, with all our strength we fight this fate, make this evil obliterate.’” Necron make a huge explosion and knocked the girls across the room. Phoebe fell into the water. The rack slide into the water and dragged Piper in by her foot. She frantically tried to free her foot but can’t. Paris made herself small so her baby wouldn’t get hurt.

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Piper was still under the water. Phoebe poked her head out of the water and saw Paige unconscious near by. “Paige, wake up! Paige!” She flicked water at Paige with her tail. “Wake up!”

Paige gained consciousness and sat up. “No wonder those demons carry warning labels.”

“Tell me about it.” Phoebe comment. then she looked for Paris, she sat on the ground. “Paris are you okay?”

“My baby is okay, me on the other hand not so. Its my leg, its hurting a lot.” Paris replied. Leo got up and over to her. He healed her leg. “Thank you, but are you okay?”

Leo nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Where’s Piper?”

“Under water.” Phoebe grabbed Piper’s hands. Her foot was freed from the rack and Phoebe pulled her to the top.

Piper coughed. “Mum.”

“It’s okay, sweetie, it’s us.” Leo reassured her.

Phoebe pointed at Piper’s stomach. “Leo, heal her stomach.” He reached for her wound but it healed itself.

Paige frowned. “How’d you do that?”

“I didn’t.” Leo replied.

Piper looked at them all. “The baby did.”

“What?” Phoebe exclaimed.

Piper looked at them. “I guess she takes after her daddy.” They smiled. “That must’ve been what mum meant.”

Phoebe frowned. “Mum?”

“She came to me in the water. She helped me understand why I’ve been so afraid. I don’t wanna leave my baby without a mother.” Piper replied.

Leo looked at her. “You have something that she didn’t.”

“Oh, yeah, what’s that?” Piper asked.

“Me.” Leo replied.

“And me.” Paige and Paris said almost on the same time.

Then they noticed that Phoebe gone. Piper sighed. “But not her. What do we do?”

“Nothing. I have a feeling she’ll come back again.” Paige replied.

Leo looked at her. “How do you figure?”

“Just say I have a pretty good idea about what’s going on inside of her head.” Paige replied.