POWER TROUBLES
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'Are you sure you want to do this?' Chris asked as Prue brushed her short, reddish-brown hair behind her back.
'I really have no other choice. You can't control these powers - the thing inside of you - but I can. That's why they call me an innate witch.'
Chris smiled. 'You're anything but.'
Prue frowned with her borrowed face and gave him a knowing look.
'So, how are we going to do this?'
'With a spell. And I know just which one.'
Prue grabbed the book of shadows and flipped it open.
Paige pushed in through the door and was about to unlock it when Phoebe turned up behind her.
'Hey,' Phoebe said.
'Hi,' Paige replied.
'Make way. Comin' through,' Piper said as she too joined them.
'You know,' Paige said. 'For all the demons we fight, all the innocents we save, we never once think of the environment. I mean, here we are, all three of us coming home from our duties each in a car of our own.'
'You can orb,' Piper said smugly.
Paige unlocked the door.
'Don't give me that! Personal gain. Remember? Can't blame me for pollution problems.'
'I wonder how Prue is doing with Wyatt?'
'Something tells me she's more interested in fixing Chris up, Phoebe,' Paige replied.
They entered the house.
'Wyatt!' Piper cried startled as she saw her unsupervised baby in a bassinet.
'How could Prue be so irresponsible?' Phoebe asked.
'I thought she was Miss Responsibility,' Paige added.
'I'm going to have a piece of her,' Piper said storming up to the attic.
'Let our powers cross the line,
I offer up this gift to share,
So switch our powers through the air.'
The door burst opened as Piper stormed in with an angry look.
'I thought I'd find you here you little witch.'
Leo orbed into the attic and turned to the girls. 'We have a problem.'
'Piper, Leo, no!' Prue shouted.
Phoebe and Paige burst in.
Suddenly, each of them glowed as white lights exited their bodies and floated upon the ceiling making crackling sounds.
Crash!
'Wyatt,' Piper screamed storming out of the attic.
'Demon!' Phoebe cried as she froze in her spot.
The demon turned around and smirked.
'Hey,' Piper said throwing up her hands.
The demon jumped back in panic.
But he didn't blow up.
'I had a feeling that was going to happen,' Piper said. 'PRUE FIX THIS!'
Prue stormed down the stairs and flung her arm but the demon didn't budge.
'Um, I think it would be safe to say that our powers are floating on the ceiling of the attic.'
'Uh oh,' Phoebe said as the demon flicked his hand and caused a blue wave of energy to ripple into her.
Phoebe went flying through the air and landed on the sofa.
'You stripped us all,' Piper hissed.
'No,' Prue said. 'I only removed our powers. We still have basics.'
Paige came running down the stairs with an athame.
'I'm going to test that theory,' she said knowing that a witch could throw an athame with enhanced accuracy and almost always score a vanquish upon a hit.
Suddenly, a blue ob shield surrounded the demon and trapped him inside.
When they looked, they saw Wyatt in his bassinet holding out a glowing blue hand.
'Wyatt's trapped him. Good boy,' Phoebe said ripping the athame from Paige's hand.
The demon bashed against the force but couldn't escape or move through it.
'That's it,' Phoebe said. 'You keep struggling.'
Phoebe walked towards him.
'Let me outta here, witch.'
'You'll have to ask my nephew to let you out. You see, he doesn't like visitors who drop in unannounced and neither does his aunt.'
Suddenly the forcefield disappeared and the demon lunged at her.
Phoebe quickly thrust the athame into his chest and he screamed before flames exploded him.
'We don't need no witchy powers to vanquish our enemy.'
'Well, maybe that's because you're so used to it since you get stuck with the passive powers,' Paige said.
'Speaking of powers, we better get ours back.'
The girls and Leo found Chris in the attic.
'They're still floating around the place.'
'Okay, Prue,' Piper screamed. 'How do we get our powers back?'
'I.ah.'
'The same way Cole did in the demonic wastelands. 'We absorb them.'
'How do we know which is which?' Paige questioned.
'We don't. But I have a feeling that that white power with the black aura around it is Chris's.'
'And I'm taking Chris' power,' Prue said. 'That's what the spell was for so don't stop me.'
Prue waited until the power moved closer, held out her hand, and suddenly it entered her body and she glowed a whitish black for a brief second.
'Everybody, grab a power,' Leo instructed. 'Before they escape.'
All of them jumped up grabbing nearest power blindly unaware of what it was or whose it was.
'Time to test,' Paige said. 'Athame!' Nothing happened.
'Damn! I have someone else's powers.'
Piper picked up the athame and threw it into the air. She tried freezing it. Nothing.
'Typical,' she hissed. 'Ah!'
She grabbed her head. 'I think I know who's power I have. My husband must have left it to me in our separation. And now I'm hearing his charges. Trust me to get left cleaning up his mess.'
Leo gave Piper a hurtful look.
'Okay,' Chris said. 'Prue has my power. Piper has Leo's. That just leaves Phoebe, Paige and myself.'
'Demon!' Paige screamed.
Suddenly, Phoebe orbed out in Paige's lights then back in.
'It worked.'
'Paige! How dare you?'
'Chill, Phoebe. We now you have my power.'
'How can you manage not to orb every time you hear someone shout demon?'
'I'm used to it.'
'Which is what bothers me,' Leo said. 'We don't know how to use each other's powers let alone defend ourselves with them.'
'I don't have Piper's power,' Leo said putting his hands back down. 'Luckily.'
Piper scowled at him.
'Demon!' Phoebe screamed.
Paige screamed and Chris froze.
'Ooooh!!!'
'Revenge is sweet,' Phoebe smiled.
'Yeah, but now they're stuck frozen.'
Phoebe smiled and shook Chris out of the freeze.
'Okay,' Chris said. 'I felt that. You panicked. And I felt Phoebe panic when she orbed.'
'Which means you're an empath,' Phoebe said. 'And Leo has Prue's power.'
'Okay, I can use telekinesis.sort of.'
'Speaking of which,' Prue said moving towards a vase on the table.
She waved her hand and the vase. Chris's telekinesis managed to move the vase but quite differently.
'What the hell.? My powers were never this rigid.'
'My version is a little tighter,' Chris said. 'I'm not a Charmed One so I don't have the same sort of telekinetic punch that you throw.'
'It'll have to do,' Prue said lowering her hand and the vase rested back down. 'Though it's harder to use. Almost like it's wind rather than telekinesis I'm using.'
Phoebe moved over and waved her hand at the vase.
'I know how to use telekinesis but this isn't working.'
'You have to say the object's name,' Paige said.
'Yeah, but I thought that maybe I could find out how to do it without saying the name since I had Prue's power five years ago.'
'Thank you, Phoebe. But I think I would have figured that out since I used my power more than you used it.'
'You can't blame me for trying. Um, vase. Why isn't it working?'
'You have to put emotion into it. Don't passively say the word. Will the vase to come to you.'
'Vase. VASE.'
The vase orbed into Phoebe's hand.
'This power is too cool!'
'We're forgetting something,' Leo said. 'The reason I came down here.'
'Something tells me it wasn't a social call,' Piper hissed. 'So why would an elder leave his beloved throne for a dump like this?'
'Piper. This isn't helping.oh, forget it. The reason I'm down here is because there is absolutely no body up there.'
'What?' Paige queried.
'That's right. Somehow, the elders vacated the heavens. And I sense that they are here, on earth. But you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Chris?'
Chris stared down at the ground.
'I didn't think so,' Leo said smugly. 'I had a reading on Roland. But now I've lost my powers.'
'So you want me to use them,' Piper growled. 'Just tell us where he was last.'
'I sense coordinates. I don't sense places.'
'Well that's too bad for you,' Piper said.
'Guys,' Phoebe interrupted. 'We need to rebuild what is left up there.'
'Why?' Piper said. 'The underworld never recovered from the source's demise. Why should we bother? We're about even.'
'Because we're good and it's what we do,' Phoebe said. 'Besides, if we don't keep ourselves ahead of evil, they'll overtake us. And we can't let that happen.'
'Fine. I'll sense his ass and orb us. At least I can do that much.'
'You may think you know how to use my powers, but they have grown through my deeds.'
'You mean through your abandonment?'
'.AND they are stronger. Even I'm still learning how to use them.'
'Well I'm a quick study.'
'What's that supposed to mean, Piper?' Leo said firmly. 'Are you saying I'm a slacker?'
'That's what the sin ball said.'
'Stop it!' Phoebe cried. 'We are going to do this and we are doing it now. Leo, why don't you.'
'I can't do anything without my powers. So I'm stuck here.'
'Oh, stuck in your own house,' Piper fumed. 'How tragic.'
'That's it,' Prue said grabbing Leo by the arm. 'You are going down to keep an eye out on your son. We are going to save Roland. There's not a demon alive who wouldn't take advantage of a defenseless Elder.'
'I'm staying,' Paige said. 'I have a plan.'
Roland screamed as the lightening bolt send him flying into a tree.
The demon laughed as he lowered his arm.
'Not very pleasant, is it? Now you know the pain you Elders caused us.'
'Not so fast,' Piper said orbing in with Phoebe and Prue.
'Witches!' the demon growled. 'I should have known you cowardly Elders would hide under their skirts.'
'You can pop that Elder under my skirt any day,' Prue smiled cheekily.
The demon held out his arm and a wave of lightening emanated from his hand.
The girls jumped out of the way as it hit and tree and chips of wood splintered the area.
Prue waved her hand.
Whooo!
The demon flung back gracefully but with enough force to stun him.
'Okay demon,' Prue said flicking her wrist.
Suddenly, a cloud of black smoke shot out from Prue's hand, enveloped the demon and then he disappeared.
'Let's go,' Piper cried orbing the four of them out before they could figure out what happened.
Paige worked tirelessly in the kitchen with her potions when the four members orbed in.
'Oh, hi,' she said. 'Back so soon.'
'We could have used my powers,' Piper said.
'I wouldn't know how to begin using them,' Paige said. 'That's why I mixed a protection potion.'
'You actually made such a thing,' Prue said.
'Yeah, but it still has a few bugs. Disables our powers. Still, we're as good as powerless now.'
Roland cleared his throat.
'Oh, you remember Roland,' Phoebe said.
'How could I not. You were wanting to sleep with him.'
'Yeah, well that's when I was a sex god.'
Prue frowned.
Paige laughed.
'I don't understand,' Paige said. 'Why couldn't you orb back up there? Leo's an elder and he can.'
Leo entered. 'Because the longer an Elder stays up there, the weaker his power becomes down here.'
'Are you going to shout at me for not knowing that, Roland?' Paige said. 'Ramus would have.'
'He and I had different values.'
'You mean you prefer the silent approach,' Piper said. 'Great!'
'What bothers me more,' Phoebe said changing the subject, 'is how Prue vanquished that demon.'
Chris swallowed.
'She didn't vanquish him,' Roland said. 'She has Chris's powers.'
'How do you know?' Paige said.
'I'm still an Elder. And I still have powers suffice their weakness. And if it's of any consequence, Chris used them on me. He banished me.'
'Banish? Like make them disappear elsewhere?' Phoebe said.
Roland nodded. 'He didn't just banish me, he disorientated me. You see, on earth, we Elders are almost as defenseless as any mortal. You lose track or our coordinates.'
'It's like trying to drive home after being dumped in some unknown place,' Leo explained.
'And combined with your own vulnerability down here,' Paige began. 'You were stranded.'
Roland nodded.
'It's going to take forever to get all the Elders back up there,' Prue said.
'Not necessarily,' Leo began. 'I think we can draw energy from that plane Chris banished me to.'
'Care to elaborate,' Roland said.
'Not here.'
'Why not,' Piper said. 'Being an Elder suddenly made you tight- lipped to your own charges?'
'No,' Roland said. 'Being an Elder has given Leo insight into just how important it is to be silent.'
'Great! Well the two of you can be silent all you want up there,' Paige said. 'We have other plans.'
'Um, I'm not going anywhere,' Leo said. 'Not without my powers.'
'We can't switch back,' Prue said. 'Because that means giving Chris back the powers that have tortured him and caused this mess.'
'I disagree,' Phoebe said. 'If he was willing to take in the powers, then he is stuck with them.'
'Just like Cole was?' Paige queried.
'C'mon. We have work to do,' Phoebe said. 'Leo and Roland can use the attic.'
'And what of the Book of Shadows?' Roland queried. 'You'll be running in and out of the attic.'
'Oh, is that what your foresight is telling you?' Piper smirked.
'My powers are physical, not mental.'
'Okay, what the hell does that mean?' Paige screamed. 'Ramus said the complete opposite!!!'
'It means that I, like Leo - or rather Leo like myself - have physical powers to orb and heal others. Ramus, and many other Elders, have powers that are mental. Powers that allow them to see things, read minds but disallow orbing and healing.'
'See, not so secretive after all,' Leo said.
'He just knows the side his bread is buttered on,' Piper snapped.
'So,' Paige continued. 'If Elders were once whitelighters, then how on earth do you have a whitelighter who can't orb or heal?'
'You answered your own question,' Roland said. 'On earth. We elect somebody from earth to give these powers to. Don't you remember the young lad to whom Ramus's powers were left?'
'Kevin,' Paige said to herself. 'By the way, where is Kevin?'
'He never ascended to the heavens nor used his power. So he's safe and it's of no consequence to our mission here,' Roland said firmly.
Paige rolled her eyes.
Corin smiled evilly as her crystal faded back to a milky white.
She had it resting on a gauze mat which sat on the base of her cauldron. The smoke from the pot, once revealing images to the crystal, had died.
'Dimitriades, get in here now!'
A bulky man smoked into the room. He had a full black beard and moustache.
'Bring me the Elder and whitelighters. Something tells me they're in a sharing mood today.'
Leo picked up a wedding photo of himself and Piper off the mantelpiece of the master bedroom.
'You miss her?' Roland said raising his eyebrows.
'Like you care.'
'I sold you short, Leo. But now things have changed. And frankly, if I could go back into the past, then I would change my decision. But it wouldn't matter because you got married anyway.'
'Maybe you were right. Maybe it was just not meant to be.'
'I don't need powers to tell me that you and Piper were meant to be. Remember that speech you gave her?'
'That was to convince her. But now I need convincing.'
'I'm not.good at this sort of thing, Leo,' Roland said. 'I mean comforting. Being up there for so long has made me put all emotions behind me.'
'You just rejected them,' Leo said.
Roland nodded. 'I know I haven't been the best Elder.'
'Um, let's concentrate on this task at hand. We need the power of three. Which means we need to switch our powers back.'
Roland shook his head. 'You switched powers. You did not switch the power of three. Give Chris the break he deserves. Were it not for him, we would not have this luxury. I would not have this luxury.
'Leo, may I but ask one thing of you?'
Leo smiled.
'Where is the restroom?'
Chris paced the kitchen anxiously. 'Phoebe?'
'I don't know what is going on up there --- I mean in the bedroom.'
'I'm sure Leo still loves Piper and for what it's worth, I think he's a little too old - physically anyway - for Roland.'
'I don't mean between them,' Phoebe laughed. 'I mean what's being said.'
'Too bad you don't have your powers.'
'But you do.'
'Don't remind me.'
Suddenly, two demons shimmered in on either side of Chris and grabbed him by the arms.
'Phoebe, help me!'
'Stop!' Phoebe cried running towards them.
With his free hand, the demon threw an energy at Phoebe.
She screamed and orbed out.
The demons shimmered out with Chris.
Paige came storming into the kitchen in time to see Phoebe reappear in midair and fall to the ground crashing the kitchen table over.
'Ow!'
Roland looked into the mirror and pushed his thick, midnight black hair out of his handsome face.
Then he saw a heavy set man with a thick growth behind him.
'Sssh,' the man said as he swabbed a cloth over Roland's face.
Roland collapsed into his arms as he shimmered out.
'Roland!' Leo cried banging on the bathroom door. 'Roland, we have a problem. Roland?'
Phoebe ran towards the door and Hiya!
The door flung open but the bathroom was vacated.
'What's this?' Prue said picking up a cloth. 'Chlorophyll?'
She almost fell back.
'Since when do demons use chlorophyll?' Paige grumbled.
'When they don't want to make a fuss,' Piper answered calmly.
'And they took my power of premonition,' Phoebe said. 'We have no way of finding them.'
'We can scry,' Prue suggested.
'Screw that,' Piper said. 'They're undoubtedly in the underworld. That's where they always end up. Let's just cut to the chase and orb down there.'
'Actually,' Phoebe said. 'I think I have a better idea. We use the spell to call on the powers of the witches. Since they have our powers, it should take us there.'
'Good idea,' Piper said pushing her fist into her open hand.
When Roland came around, he found himself in one of the cavernous rooms of the underground world. He had been pinned down to an altar in the centre of the room.
From what he could gather, the room was full of cells. Chris was in the holding straight ahead from Roland. The cell was caged by rusted bars. In fact, there were seven cells all in a circular pattern around the altar. The altar was actually a cell within a cell as each of the other confines enclosed it. One particular cell had a door behind it which Roland assumed was the way into and out of the room.
There, standing above him, was Corin.
'Welcome to my domain,' she said in a smug tone.
Roland grabbed the bottom of his robe and stood up.
'I see you're acquainted with my old associate,' she said pointing to Chris. 'Now, tell me this one thing and you'll leave here a free man. How do you plan on reconstituting the circle of elders?'
'You expect me to answer that?' Roland said.
Corin smiled.
Suddenly, she said a chant in some unknown language and then threw a potion onto the altar. Hideous vines grew out from the altar and buried themselves painfully into Roland's skin.
Roland screamed in agony as his robes were shredded and his skin was torn.
Chris grabbed his head and pain and started screaming too.
'I get two for the price of one,' Corin sneered eyeing the empathic whitelighter.
'Okay,' Phoebe said. 'The spell is set. I think all five of us should go down there.'
'Who will look after Wyatt?' Leo said.
Piper bit her bottom lip. 'The neighbours. We have no choice. We should all go.'
Orbs of white lights danced around the room and formed into the Charmed Ones, Prue and Leo.
'We're in the underworld,' Paige said. 'How original.'
'Sssh,' Piper commanded. 'Phoebe, the crystal.'
Phoebe nodded getting out a crystal tied to a string. 'Okay, the spell brought us down here. But the rest of the journey is up to us. We scry for witches' powers. We scry for my powers.'
'Yeah, but what if Roland and Chris have been separated?' Paige said.
'One thing at a time,' Leo said.
Roland screamed in terrible pain as the vines imbedded themselves deeper into his flesh.
'I said I'd tell you nothing.'
'Maybe. But what of Chris?'
Chris was on the ground writhing.
'What do you know of the plans, whitelighter?'
'Nothing! And I'm glad I don't otherwise I'd.tell.you.'
'He tells the truth,' Roland said panting. 'The very reason why I'm so secretive has just been exercised. Now let him go.'
'Let them both go,' Piper demanded.
Roland struggled to look in the direction where the voice appeared to be coming from.
It was coming from the cell with the door. The small wooden door had a little peep hole made out of metal bars and that was undoubtedly Piper's eyeball spying on them.
'I see you've found my cavern of wonders,' Corin said. 'Please do come in.'
Corin waved her hand and the door opened.
'Whoa!' Phoebe shrieked. 'That was way too easy.'
Roland's eyes widened up in terror as five demons shimmered into the very cell from which the door opened. The girls were about to walk into an ambush!
'Paige, freeze the room,' Piper said after exchanging glances with Roland.
'I don't know how.'
Corin, annoyed by their discovery, waved her hand and Roland started screaming in greater pain.
'Screw that,' Piper said sprinting through the doorway at great speed.
She outran the demons who tried to lunge for her.
Leo quickly waved his hand sending two of them awkwardly flying into a wall.
The others ran into the room but unfortunately, they were trapped in the cell with five demons. The only way out was the way they came and that meant leaving without their friends.
One demon lunged at Paige and she screamed. He grabbed her by the neck and thrust her into the wall.
A second demon lunged at Phoebe. She ducked and snap kicked him at the same time forcing him into the wall.
Meanwhile, Piper had her own problems as she was cornered by the third, athame wielding maniac.
Corin laughed. 'Not so tough without your powers.'
Paige kicked the demon in the nuts and saw Piper about to be stabbed. She screamed and threw up her hands as if demanded them to stop.
Pssdt!
All five of the demons froze.
'But we're tough with each others' powers,' Piper said with a smirk. 'Wait, how come she didn't freeze.'
'Um, different room,' Paige suggested.
'Paige,' Piper began. 'These are bars. Bars do not stop my power.'
'I'm beyond your powers,' Corin sneered.
'Where's Chris?' Phoebe demanded.
'He frozen in the cell next to yours. Thank you for making him a sitting duck.'
'We have to get through before they unfreeze,' Paige said.
'Then blow up the bars,' Piper demanded.
'I can't.'
Roland screamed again as the vines made their way up his arm through the inside of his skin.
'No!' Paige cried angrily throwing up a hand in a stop-sign position.
Pkkdt!
The bars exploded making an opening big enough for them to get through.
'God, I'm glad Chris is frozen,' Phoebe said. 'I don't think my new power would be too partial to this torment.'
The five demons unfroze and turned in time to see the Charmed Ones enter the centre cell - or rather the altar.
'Finish them,' Corin cried.
'No,' Prue screamed throwing her hand.
Whooo!
One of the demons blew into the wall.
Paige turned around and threw up her hands.
Pkkdt!
The wall separating the entry cell from the next cell was blown apart. Incidentally, that was also Chris's cell - the reason the Charmed Ones could not see him in the adjacent room.
'They're too powerful,' one of the demons cowered as Paige threw up her hands again.
This time, one of the demons exploded.
The other four screamed as they ran back through the entry screaming their heads off.
'Cowards,' Corin sneered.
'Now it's your turn,' Paige said throwing up her hands.
Pkkdt!
Corin smiled as the force of Piper's powers (used by Paige of course) did nothing.
'So, it is you who holds the power,' she said motioning to Prue. 'I'll trade you that for Chris.'
'Over my dead body,' Prue screamed as a smoke cloud suddenly came out of her hand and enveloped Corin.
'Give it to me,' Corin screamed in a maniacal rapture as the cloud consumed her.
'I'll give it to you,' Prue screamed as another smoke cloud came out from the other hand. 'I'll banish you.'
'Prue, don't,' Roland said panting.
'I'll rid us of you once and for all you ugly crone.'
Corin raised her hands in triumph as more clouds of black magic surrounded her.
Chris joined the girls.
'Yes,' Corin screamed.
Prue almost fell to the ground as the energies drained from her and into Corin.
'Yes!'
Suddenly, the magic stopped coming out of Prue as she collapsed and the dark clouds spun around Corin clockwise. They spun furiously and she screamed in delight as she suddenly exploded into thin air.
The vines from Roland magically disappeared.
Leo helped the weak Elder up.
'This isn't the end,' Chris said almost to himself.
'What happened,' Prue said sitting in the chair of the conservatory.
'You just fed Corin the dark magic,' Roland said.
'No, I banished her. Just like Chris did Leo.'
'Do, she took the powers you fed her.'
'Well, at least we all have our powers back,' Phoebe said.
'Chris,' Prue said. 'I'm sorry I didn't have any powers to give back to you.'
'Don't be. You did what you promised you would. You freed me.'
'Even if that means giving the powers to a greater evil,' Leo said raising his eyebrows.
Chris bowed his head shamefully.
'Look, we freed an innocent and that's all that matters,' Prue said.
'At the expense of his whitelighter powers,' Paige added.
'I'm not worried about those powers,' Roland said.
'Then quit worrying,' Piper exploded. 'We have two Elders here, neither of which have the power to see into the future. And yet you're speculating. So leave the foresight up to Phoebe. Meanwhile, why don't you two just rack off back up there and plan whatever it is you're planning.'
Leo looked hurt but then his expression turned to anger.
'Fine. I get no thanks you what I do down here. At least up there I'll get the credit I deserve.'
'Maybe you should have married Roland,' Piper hissed.
'Maybe you should have married Dan.'
'Get out!'
'Gladly.'
Leo and Roland turned away and orbed back up.
'Jerks,' Piper screamed throwing a pillow across the room. 'Utter jerks.'
'Um, guys,' Paige said looking at Chris who was sitting on the far chair looking down at the ground. 'What are we going to do about him?'
'He can stay here,' Prue said. 'He's got nowhere else to go. And he doesn't have any powers anymore.'
Piper nodded. 'I agree. But he can sleep downstairs. And alone!'
Corin smiled from some unknown place and raised her hands up in triumph.
'Finally, it has all come back to me. An investment fit for a king -- - or rather a source.'
Previous Story: The Dimension of Love Next Story: Phoebe's Baby
'Are you sure you want to do this?' Chris asked as Prue brushed her short, reddish-brown hair behind her back.
'I really have no other choice. You can't control these powers - the thing inside of you - but I can. That's why they call me an innate witch.'
Chris smiled. 'You're anything but.'
Prue frowned with her borrowed face and gave him a knowing look.
'So, how are we going to do this?'
'With a spell. And I know just which one.'
Prue grabbed the book of shadows and flipped it open.
Paige pushed in through the door and was about to unlock it when Phoebe turned up behind her.
'Hey,' Phoebe said.
'Hi,' Paige replied.
'Make way. Comin' through,' Piper said as she too joined them.
'You know,' Paige said. 'For all the demons we fight, all the innocents we save, we never once think of the environment. I mean, here we are, all three of us coming home from our duties each in a car of our own.'
'You can orb,' Piper said smugly.
Paige unlocked the door.
'Don't give me that! Personal gain. Remember? Can't blame me for pollution problems.'
'I wonder how Prue is doing with Wyatt?'
'Something tells me she's more interested in fixing Chris up, Phoebe,' Paige replied.
They entered the house.
'Wyatt!' Piper cried startled as she saw her unsupervised baby in a bassinet.
'How could Prue be so irresponsible?' Phoebe asked.
'I thought she was Miss Responsibility,' Paige added.
'I'm going to have a piece of her,' Piper said storming up to the attic.
'Let our powers cross the line,
I offer up this gift to share,
So switch our powers through the air.'
The door burst opened as Piper stormed in with an angry look.
'I thought I'd find you here you little witch.'
Leo orbed into the attic and turned to the girls. 'We have a problem.'
'Piper, Leo, no!' Prue shouted.
Phoebe and Paige burst in.
Suddenly, each of them glowed as white lights exited their bodies and floated upon the ceiling making crackling sounds.
Crash!
'Wyatt,' Piper screamed storming out of the attic.
'Demon!' Phoebe cried as she froze in her spot.
The demon turned around and smirked.
'Hey,' Piper said throwing up her hands.
The demon jumped back in panic.
But he didn't blow up.
'I had a feeling that was going to happen,' Piper said. 'PRUE FIX THIS!'
Prue stormed down the stairs and flung her arm but the demon didn't budge.
'Um, I think it would be safe to say that our powers are floating on the ceiling of the attic.'
'Uh oh,' Phoebe said as the demon flicked his hand and caused a blue wave of energy to ripple into her.
Phoebe went flying through the air and landed on the sofa.
'You stripped us all,' Piper hissed.
'No,' Prue said. 'I only removed our powers. We still have basics.'
Paige came running down the stairs with an athame.
'I'm going to test that theory,' she said knowing that a witch could throw an athame with enhanced accuracy and almost always score a vanquish upon a hit.
Suddenly, a blue ob shield surrounded the demon and trapped him inside.
When they looked, they saw Wyatt in his bassinet holding out a glowing blue hand.
'Wyatt's trapped him. Good boy,' Phoebe said ripping the athame from Paige's hand.
The demon bashed against the force but couldn't escape or move through it.
'That's it,' Phoebe said. 'You keep struggling.'
Phoebe walked towards him.
'Let me outta here, witch.'
'You'll have to ask my nephew to let you out. You see, he doesn't like visitors who drop in unannounced and neither does his aunt.'
Suddenly the forcefield disappeared and the demon lunged at her.
Phoebe quickly thrust the athame into his chest and he screamed before flames exploded him.
'We don't need no witchy powers to vanquish our enemy.'
'Well, maybe that's because you're so used to it since you get stuck with the passive powers,' Paige said.
'Speaking of powers, we better get ours back.'
The girls and Leo found Chris in the attic.
'They're still floating around the place.'
'Okay, Prue,' Piper screamed. 'How do we get our powers back?'
'I.ah.'
'The same way Cole did in the demonic wastelands. 'We absorb them.'
'How do we know which is which?' Paige questioned.
'We don't. But I have a feeling that that white power with the black aura around it is Chris's.'
'And I'm taking Chris' power,' Prue said. 'That's what the spell was for so don't stop me.'
Prue waited until the power moved closer, held out her hand, and suddenly it entered her body and she glowed a whitish black for a brief second.
'Everybody, grab a power,' Leo instructed. 'Before they escape.'
All of them jumped up grabbing nearest power blindly unaware of what it was or whose it was.
'Time to test,' Paige said. 'Athame!' Nothing happened.
'Damn! I have someone else's powers.'
Piper picked up the athame and threw it into the air. She tried freezing it. Nothing.
'Typical,' she hissed. 'Ah!'
She grabbed her head. 'I think I know who's power I have. My husband must have left it to me in our separation. And now I'm hearing his charges. Trust me to get left cleaning up his mess.'
Leo gave Piper a hurtful look.
'Okay,' Chris said. 'Prue has my power. Piper has Leo's. That just leaves Phoebe, Paige and myself.'
'Demon!' Paige screamed.
Suddenly, Phoebe orbed out in Paige's lights then back in.
'It worked.'
'Paige! How dare you?'
'Chill, Phoebe. We now you have my power.'
'How can you manage not to orb every time you hear someone shout demon?'
'I'm used to it.'
'Which is what bothers me,' Leo said. 'We don't know how to use each other's powers let alone defend ourselves with them.'
'I don't have Piper's power,' Leo said putting his hands back down. 'Luckily.'
Piper scowled at him.
'Demon!' Phoebe screamed.
Paige screamed and Chris froze.
'Ooooh!!!'
'Revenge is sweet,' Phoebe smiled.
'Yeah, but now they're stuck frozen.'
Phoebe smiled and shook Chris out of the freeze.
'Okay,' Chris said. 'I felt that. You panicked. And I felt Phoebe panic when she orbed.'
'Which means you're an empath,' Phoebe said. 'And Leo has Prue's power.'
'Okay, I can use telekinesis.sort of.'
'Speaking of which,' Prue said moving towards a vase on the table.
She waved her hand and the vase. Chris's telekinesis managed to move the vase but quite differently.
'What the hell.? My powers were never this rigid.'
'My version is a little tighter,' Chris said. 'I'm not a Charmed One so I don't have the same sort of telekinetic punch that you throw.'
'It'll have to do,' Prue said lowering her hand and the vase rested back down. 'Though it's harder to use. Almost like it's wind rather than telekinesis I'm using.'
Phoebe moved over and waved her hand at the vase.
'I know how to use telekinesis but this isn't working.'
'You have to say the object's name,' Paige said.
'Yeah, but I thought that maybe I could find out how to do it without saying the name since I had Prue's power five years ago.'
'Thank you, Phoebe. But I think I would have figured that out since I used my power more than you used it.'
'You can't blame me for trying. Um, vase. Why isn't it working?'
'You have to put emotion into it. Don't passively say the word. Will the vase to come to you.'
'Vase. VASE.'
The vase orbed into Phoebe's hand.
'This power is too cool!'
'We're forgetting something,' Leo said. 'The reason I came down here.'
'Something tells me it wasn't a social call,' Piper hissed. 'So why would an elder leave his beloved throne for a dump like this?'
'Piper. This isn't helping.oh, forget it. The reason I'm down here is because there is absolutely no body up there.'
'What?' Paige queried.
'That's right. Somehow, the elders vacated the heavens. And I sense that they are here, on earth. But you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Chris?'
Chris stared down at the ground.
'I didn't think so,' Leo said smugly. 'I had a reading on Roland. But now I've lost my powers.'
'So you want me to use them,' Piper growled. 'Just tell us where he was last.'
'I sense coordinates. I don't sense places.'
'Well that's too bad for you,' Piper said.
'Guys,' Phoebe interrupted. 'We need to rebuild what is left up there.'
'Why?' Piper said. 'The underworld never recovered from the source's demise. Why should we bother? We're about even.'
'Because we're good and it's what we do,' Phoebe said. 'Besides, if we don't keep ourselves ahead of evil, they'll overtake us. And we can't let that happen.'
'Fine. I'll sense his ass and orb us. At least I can do that much.'
'You may think you know how to use my powers, but they have grown through my deeds.'
'You mean through your abandonment?'
'.AND they are stronger. Even I'm still learning how to use them.'
'Well I'm a quick study.'
'What's that supposed to mean, Piper?' Leo said firmly. 'Are you saying I'm a slacker?'
'That's what the sin ball said.'
'Stop it!' Phoebe cried. 'We are going to do this and we are doing it now. Leo, why don't you.'
'I can't do anything without my powers. So I'm stuck here.'
'Oh, stuck in your own house,' Piper fumed. 'How tragic.'
'That's it,' Prue said grabbing Leo by the arm. 'You are going down to keep an eye out on your son. We are going to save Roland. There's not a demon alive who wouldn't take advantage of a defenseless Elder.'
'I'm staying,' Paige said. 'I have a plan.'
Roland screamed as the lightening bolt send him flying into a tree.
The demon laughed as he lowered his arm.
'Not very pleasant, is it? Now you know the pain you Elders caused us.'
'Not so fast,' Piper said orbing in with Phoebe and Prue.
'Witches!' the demon growled. 'I should have known you cowardly Elders would hide under their skirts.'
'You can pop that Elder under my skirt any day,' Prue smiled cheekily.
The demon held out his arm and a wave of lightening emanated from his hand.
The girls jumped out of the way as it hit and tree and chips of wood splintered the area.
Prue waved her hand.
Whooo!
The demon flung back gracefully but with enough force to stun him.
'Okay demon,' Prue said flicking her wrist.
Suddenly, a cloud of black smoke shot out from Prue's hand, enveloped the demon and then he disappeared.
'Let's go,' Piper cried orbing the four of them out before they could figure out what happened.
Paige worked tirelessly in the kitchen with her potions when the four members orbed in.
'Oh, hi,' she said. 'Back so soon.'
'We could have used my powers,' Piper said.
'I wouldn't know how to begin using them,' Paige said. 'That's why I mixed a protection potion.'
'You actually made such a thing,' Prue said.
'Yeah, but it still has a few bugs. Disables our powers. Still, we're as good as powerless now.'
Roland cleared his throat.
'Oh, you remember Roland,' Phoebe said.
'How could I not. You were wanting to sleep with him.'
'Yeah, well that's when I was a sex god.'
Prue frowned.
Paige laughed.
'I don't understand,' Paige said. 'Why couldn't you orb back up there? Leo's an elder and he can.'
Leo entered. 'Because the longer an Elder stays up there, the weaker his power becomes down here.'
'Are you going to shout at me for not knowing that, Roland?' Paige said. 'Ramus would have.'
'He and I had different values.'
'You mean you prefer the silent approach,' Piper said. 'Great!'
'What bothers me more,' Phoebe said changing the subject, 'is how Prue vanquished that demon.'
Chris swallowed.
'She didn't vanquish him,' Roland said. 'She has Chris's powers.'
'How do you know?' Paige said.
'I'm still an Elder. And I still have powers suffice their weakness. And if it's of any consequence, Chris used them on me. He banished me.'
'Banish? Like make them disappear elsewhere?' Phoebe said.
Roland nodded. 'He didn't just banish me, he disorientated me. You see, on earth, we Elders are almost as defenseless as any mortal. You lose track or our coordinates.'
'It's like trying to drive home after being dumped in some unknown place,' Leo explained.
'And combined with your own vulnerability down here,' Paige began. 'You were stranded.'
Roland nodded.
'It's going to take forever to get all the Elders back up there,' Prue said.
'Not necessarily,' Leo began. 'I think we can draw energy from that plane Chris banished me to.'
'Care to elaborate,' Roland said.
'Not here.'
'Why not,' Piper said. 'Being an Elder suddenly made you tight- lipped to your own charges?'
'No,' Roland said. 'Being an Elder has given Leo insight into just how important it is to be silent.'
'Great! Well the two of you can be silent all you want up there,' Paige said. 'We have other plans.'
'Um, I'm not going anywhere,' Leo said. 'Not without my powers.'
'We can't switch back,' Prue said. 'Because that means giving Chris back the powers that have tortured him and caused this mess.'
'I disagree,' Phoebe said. 'If he was willing to take in the powers, then he is stuck with them.'
'Just like Cole was?' Paige queried.
'C'mon. We have work to do,' Phoebe said. 'Leo and Roland can use the attic.'
'And what of the Book of Shadows?' Roland queried. 'You'll be running in and out of the attic.'
'Oh, is that what your foresight is telling you?' Piper smirked.
'My powers are physical, not mental.'
'Okay, what the hell does that mean?' Paige screamed. 'Ramus said the complete opposite!!!'
'It means that I, like Leo - or rather Leo like myself - have physical powers to orb and heal others. Ramus, and many other Elders, have powers that are mental. Powers that allow them to see things, read minds but disallow orbing and healing.'
'See, not so secretive after all,' Leo said.
'He just knows the side his bread is buttered on,' Piper snapped.
'So,' Paige continued. 'If Elders were once whitelighters, then how on earth do you have a whitelighter who can't orb or heal?'
'You answered your own question,' Roland said. 'On earth. We elect somebody from earth to give these powers to. Don't you remember the young lad to whom Ramus's powers were left?'
'Kevin,' Paige said to herself. 'By the way, where is Kevin?'
'He never ascended to the heavens nor used his power. So he's safe and it's of no consequence to our mission here,' Roland said firmly.
Paige rolled her eyes.
Corin smiled evilly as her crystal faded back to a milky white.
She had it resting on a gauze mat which sat on the base of her cauldron. The smoke from the pot, once revealing images to the crystal, had died.
'Dimitriades, get in here now!'
A bulky man smoked into the room. He had a full black beard and moustache.
'Bring me the Elder and whitelighters. Something tells me they're in a sharing mood today.'
Leo picked up a wedding photo of himself and Piper off the mantelpiece of the master bedroom.
'You miss her?' Roland said raising his eyebrows.
'Like you care.'
'I sold you short, Leo. But now things have changed. And frankly, if I could go back into the past, then I would change my decision. But it wouldn't matter because you got married anyway.'
'Maybe you were right. Maybe it was just not meant to be.'
'I don't need powers to tell me that you and Piper were meant to be. Remember that speech you gave her?'
'That was to convince her. But now I need convincing.'
'I'm not.good at this sort of thing, Leo,' Roland said. 'I mean comforting. Being up there for so long has made me put all emotions behind me.'
'You just rejected them,' Leo said.
Roland nodded. 'I know I haven't been the best Elder.'
'Um, let's concentrate on this task at hand. We need the power of three. Which means we need to switch our powers back.'
Roland shook his head. 'You switched powers. You did not switch the power of three. Give Chris the break he deserves. Were it not for him, we would not have this luxury. I would not have this luxury.
'Leo, may I but ask one thing of you?'
Leo smiled.
'Where is the restroom?'
Chris paced the kitchen anxiously. 'Phoebe?'
'I don't know what is going on up there --- I mean in the bedroom.'
'I'm sure Leo still loves Piper and for what it's worth, I think he's a little too old - physically anyway - for Roland.'
'I don't mean between them,' Phoebe laughed. 'I mean what's being said.'
'Too bad you don't have your powers.'
'But you do.'
'Don't remind me.'
Suddenly, two demons shimmered in on either side of Chris and grabbed him by the arms.
'Phoebe, help me!'
'Stop!' Phoebe cried running towards them.
With his free hand, the demon threw an energy at Phoebe.
She screamed and orbed out.
The demons shimmered out with Chris.
Paige came storming into the kitchen in time to see Phoebe reappear in midair and fall to the ground crashing the kitchen table over.
'Ow!'
Roland looked into the mirror and pushed his thick, midnight black hair out of his handsome face.
Then he saw a heavy set man with a thick growth behind him.
'Sssh,' the man said as he swabbed a cloth over Roland's face.
Roland collapsed into his arms as he shimmered out.
'Roland!' Leo cried banging on the bathroom door. 'Roland, we have a problem. Roland?'
Phoebe ran towards the door and Hiya!
The door flung open but the bathroom was vacated.
'What's this?' Prue said picking up a cloth. 'Chlorophyll?'
She almost fell back.
'Since when do demons use chlorophyll?' Paige grumbled.
'When they don't want to make a fuss,' Piper answered calmly.
'And they took my power of premonition,' Phoebe said. 'We have no way of finding them.'
'We can scry,' Prue suggested.
'Screw that,' Piper said. 'They're undoubtedly in the underworld. That's where they always end up. Let's just cut to the chase and orb down there.'
'Actually,' Phoebe said. 'I think I have a better idea. We use the spell to call on the powers of the witches. Since they have our powers, it should take us there.'
'Good idea,' Piper said pushing her fist into her open hand.
When Roland came around, he found himself in one of the cavernous rooms of the underground world. He had been pinned down to an altar in the centre of the room.
From what he could gather, the room was full of cells. Chris was in the holding straight ahead from Roland. The cell was caged by rusted bars. In fact, there were seven cells all in a circular pattern around the altar. The altar was actually a cell within a cell as each of the other confines enclosed it. One particular cell had a door behind it which Roland assumed was the way into and out of the room.
There, standing above him, was Corin.
'Welcome to my domain,' she said in a smug tone.
Roland grabbed the bottom of his robe and stood up.
'I see you're acquainted with my old associate,' she said pointing to Chris. 'Now, tell me this one thing and you'll leave here a free man. How do you plan on reconstituting the circle of elders?'
'You expect me to answer that?' Roland said.
Corin smiled.
Suddenly, she said a chant in some unknown language and then threw a potion onto the altar. Hideous vines grew out from the altar and buried themselves painfully into Roland's skin.
Roland screamed in agony as his robes were shredded and his skin was torn.
Chris grabbed his head and pain and started screaming too.
'I get two for the price of one,' Corin sneered eyeing the empathic whitelighter.
'Okay,' Phoebe said. 'The spell is set. I think all five of us should go down there.'
'Who will look after Wyatt?' Leo said.
Piper bit her bottom lip. 'The neighbours. We have no choice. We should all go.'
Orbs of white lights danced around the room and formed into the Charmed Ones, Prue and Leo.
'We're in the underworld,' Paige said. 'How original.'
'Sssh,' Piper commanded. 'Phoebe, the crystal.'
Phoebe nodded getting out a crystal tied to a string. 'Okay, the spell brought us down here. But the rest of the journey is up to us. We scry for witches' powers. We scry for my powers.'
'Yeah, but what if Roland and Chris have been separated?' Paige said.
'One thing at a time,' Leo said.
Roland screamed in terrible pain as the vines imbedded themselves deeper into his flesh.
'I said I'd tell you nothing.'
'Maybe. But what of Chris?'
Chris was on the ground writhing.
'What do you know of the plans, whitelighter?'
'Nothing! And I'm glad I don't otherwise I'd.tell.you.'
'He tells the truth,' Roland said panting. 'The very reason why I'm so secretive has just been exercised. Now let him go.'
'Let them both go,' Piper demanded.
Roland struggled to look in the direction where the voice appeared to be coming from.
It was coming from the cell with the door. The small wooden door had a little peep hole made out of metal bars and that was undoubtedly Piper's eyeball spying on them.
'I see you've found my cavern of wonders,' Corin said. 'Please do come in.'
Corin waved her hand and the door opened.
'Whoa!' Phoebe shrieked. 'That was way too easy.'
Roland's eyes widened up in terror as five demons shimmered into the very cell from which the door opened. The girls were about to walk into an ambush!
'Paige, freeze the room,' Piper said after exchanging glances with Roland.
'I don't know how.'
Corin, annoyed by their discovery, waved her hand and Roland started screaming in greater pain.
'Screw that,' Piper said sprinting through the doorway at great speed.
She outran the demons who tried to lunge for her.
Leo quickly waved his hand sending two of them awkwardly flying into a wall.
The others ran into the room but unfortunately, they were trapped in the cell with five demons. The only way out was the way they came and that meant leaving without their friends.
One demon lunged at Paige and she screamed. He grabbed her by the neck and thrust her into the wall.
A second demon lunged at Phoebe. She ducked and snap kicked him at the same time forcing him into the wall.
Meanwhile, Piper had her own problems as she was cornered by the third, athame wielding maniac.
Corin laughed. 'Not so tough without your powers.'
Paige kicked the demon in the nuts and saw Piper about to be stabbed. She screamed and threw up her hands as if demanded them to stop.
Pssdt!
All five of the demons froze.
'But we're tough with each others' powers,' Piper said with a smirk. 'Wait, how come she didn't freeze.'
'Um, different room,' Paige suggested.
'Paige,' Piper began. 'These are bars. Bars do not stop my power.'
'I'm beyond your powers,' Corin sneered.
'Where's Chris?' Phoebe demanded.
'He frozen in the cell next to yours. Thank you for making him a sitting duck.'
'We have to get through before they unfreeze,' Paige said.
'Then blow up the bars,' Piper demanded.
'I can't.'
Roland screamed again as the vines made their way up his arm through the inside of his skin.
'No!' Paige cried angrily throwing up a hand in a stop-sign position.
Pkkdt!
The bars exploded making an opening big enough for them to get through.
'God, I'm glad Chris is frozen,' Phoebe said. 'I don't think my new power would be too partial to this torment.'
The five demons unfroze and turned in time to see the Charmed Ones enter the centre cell - or rather the altar.
'Finish them,' Corin cried.
'No,' Prue screamed throwing her hand.
Whooo!
One of the demons blew into the wall.
Paige turned around and threw up her hands.
Pkkdt!
The wall separating the entry cell from the next cell was blown apart. Incidentally, that was also Chris's cell - the reason the Charmed Ones could not see him in the adjacent room.
'They're too powerful,' one of the demons cowered as Paige threw up her hands again.
This time, one of the demons exploded.
The other four screamed as they ran back through the entry screaming their heads off.
'Cowards,' Corin sneered.
'Now it's your turn,' Paige said throwing up her hands.
Pkkdt!
Corin smiled as the force of Piper's powers (used by Paige of course) did nothing.
'So, it is you who holds the power,' she said motioning to Prue. 'I'll trade you that for Chris.'
'Over my dead body,' Prue screamed as a smoke cloud suddenly came out of her hand and enveloped Corin.
'Give it to me,' Corin screamed in a maniacal rapture as the cloud consumed her.
'I'll give it to you,' Prue screamed as another smoke cloud came out from the other hand. 'I'll banish you.'
'Prue, don't,' Roland said panting.
'I'll rid us of you once and for all you ugly crone.'
Corin raised her hands in triumph as more clouds of black magic surrounded her.
Chris joined the girls.
'Yes,' Corin screamed.
Prue almost fell to the ground as the energies drained from her and into Corin.
'Yes!'
Suddenly, the magic stopped coming out of Prue as she collapsed and the dark clouds spun around Corin clockwise. They spun furiously and she screamed in delight as she suddenly exploded into thin air.
The vines from Roland magically disappeared.
Leo helped the weak Elder up.
'This isn't the end,' Chris said almost to himself.
'What happened,' Prue said sitting in the chair of the conservatory.
'You just fed Corin the dark magic,' Roland said.
'No, I banished her. Just like Chris did Leo.'
'Do, she took the powers you fed her.'
'Well, at least we all have our powers back,' Phoebe said.
'Chris,' Prue said. 'I'm sorry I didn't have any powers to give back to you.'
'Don't be. You did what you promised you would. You freed me.'
'Even if that means giving the powers to a greater evil,' Leo said raising his eyebrows.
Chris bowed his head shamefully.
'Look, we freed an innocent and that's all that matters,' Prue said.
'At the expense of his whitelighter powers,' Paige added.
'I'm not worried about those powers,' Roland said.
'Then quit worrying,' Piper exploded. 'We have two Elders here, neither of which have the power to see into the future. And yet you're speculating. So leave the foresight up to Phoebe. Meanwhile, why don't you two just rack off back up there and plan whatever it is you're planning.'
Leo looked hurt but then his expression turned to anger.
'Fine. I get no thanks you what I do down here. At least up there I'll get the credit I deserve.'
'Maybe you should have married Roland,' Piper hissed.
'Maybe you should have married Dan.'
'Get out!'
'Gladly.'
Leo and Roland turned away and orbed back up.
'Jerks,' Piper screamed throwing a pillow across the room. 'Utter jerks.'
'Um, guys,' Paige said looking at Chris who was sitting on the far chair looking down at the ground. 'What are we going to do about him?'
'He can stay here,' Prue said. 'He's got nowhere else to go. And he doesn't have any powers anymore.'
Piper nodded. 'I agree. But he can sleep downstairs. And alone!'
Corin smiled from some unknown place and raised her hands up in triumph.
'Finally, it has all come back to me. An investment fit for a king -- - or rather a source.'