The Charmed characters are not owned by me and probly never will be. But Parker and Koral are of my own imagination.
Well we now knew what we had to do but how to do it and get it right was a whole other problem. Leo took Koral into the kitchen to get him something to eat as the sisters and I sat and tried to come up with a plan and fast.
"Well we can summon the demon easy enough. But this gamble is going to be the tricky part. How do we make a gamble that will tempt him enough to take part in it? And better yet make one that we know we will win?" Piper started.
"The only sure thing that we can use as bait is, even though I hate to say it… the bait must be us." Phoebe added.
"Yeah, but as long as we do not get thrown into skimpy outfits again. Or end up dead." Paige giggled.
"Skimpy outfits? Remind me to ask about that later. Well we have to gamble on something that we know that he doesn't. That I think is me. I am sure that some upper level demons might have sensed my arrival but a Maklar is well not high up on the demon food chain. I will be the bait. Gamble my soul." I offered.
"Love, that is not going to happen there must be another way." Leonardo pleaded.
"No, trust me I wish that there were another way. But I am the only ace up the sleeve that we have right now."
"See I am not the only one that gambles her soul around here." Paige blurted as I cocked my head looking at here in surprise. "Never mind."
"Ok if you use you as bait, what is the proposition that we make to the Maklar? We can not just have him come here and say… 'Hey here is a soul. Let's make a deal.' I mean come on now what is the TV?" Phoebe remarked.
"That is exactly what we do." Piper said looking up from my Book of Shadows. "It says here that not only are the Maklar's collectors of souls but they can give a soul back as well. We can gamble with him saying that if we win that Parker's soul is returned to him and if not then he can have ours. The trick is that he does not know Parker has not lost his soul. Parker do you think that your Whitelighter part can make it so it appears that you do not have a soul? Like how it shielded you and made the Source think that you were dead?"
"I don't know… I guess. The only thing is that for a few days after my brothers died I did not have my powers at all. I guess he made it so that I could not use my powers incase the spell did not work totally. But since you all will still have your powers I will be safe enough. Here let me see the Book it might have something in there. You see my brother was very spiritual and interested in his Whitelighter side. His powers shielded me but so did a spell, one that I hope he actually put in here. Yes here it is. 'To be who you are so no evil can see, give the gift of afterlife, hold it to be free.' Consider it done." I felt a surge of energy course through me as those words passed my lips. For the time being my powers were gone, but my brothers they were and are truly with me… in my heart.
" Are you powerless? Here blow this up." Piper threw an apple into the air, my hands flew up and the apple hit the floor. "Now this damn plan better work."
"Plan? We do not have the whole plan worked out yet. Yeah we have bait but what is the gamble that we will play?" Phoebe asked again
"Well the gamble must be something that we are sure to win." Paige began. "Parker you said that you can focus your premonitions so that you can share them with others right. Well are you able to get them when you want to? I know Phoebe has before but it is not always that easy. But can you?"
"Yeah but what does that have to do with anything?"
"I am sure you can teach Phoebe how to do it, well like right now. And after that the rest is easy, the best and most common way to gamble is with cards right. Phoebe are you up for a game of blackjack?" She looked around at us all as we began to jump on her train of thought.
Paige and Piper began working on some powerful potions and spell to use as a last resort incase Paige's little plan did not work. I took Phoebe to the dining room table and sat across from her reaching out and placing a card in her hands. "Ok, Phoebe, this is simpler than you think. Shut eyes and shut all else out. Focus on the sound of my voice. Breath in and let it out slowly. See yourself, you are sitting at the card table. Tapping your finger on the cards in front of you. You can make out the faces on the cards. They come into focus. Place your palm on top of your cards. Try to predict what card is to come next. You do not hear or see anything but the cards. You see the next card. Now open your eyes. What did you see?"
" I could actually visualize myself sitting there, I could even smell the smoke of the cigar that the Maklar had. It seemed so real, like a premonition but calmer and now so fast. How did you do that?"
"I did not do anything. You did it. You focused, when you normally get premonitions you are excited almost startled. That is why they are so fast. Now you know how to focus, and in time you will not even need to touch something. Now what did you see as Paige dealt the cards."
"Oh no! I busted I hit on a 14 and busted with a queen. I am not going to win. What are we to do now?
"Wait, wait calm down. What did the Maklar have and what did Paige have face up?" I asked her.
"We should have had you make a premonition before we shed your powers. I can not do this I do not know what the other cards were. I can barely remember what mine were." She began to whimper.
Cupping
her face in my hand "Sis, you can do this just close your eyes and
try." I gave her a smile as she closed her eyes. "Tell me what
you see."
"Paige has a 7 of diamonds face up and the Maklar
has a 8 of spades and a 4 of hearts. I have a 6 of clubs and an 8
of diamonds. I take a hit. Paige turns over onto my hand a Queen of
clubs. The Maklar begins laughing loudly and he hits and gets a 7
of spades. Paige flips over a King of hearts. He laughs again and
cheers as he stands up and celebrates his win."
"Good, good." I mumble as her eyes flash open.
"Good? How is it good that I lost?" She ask out of frustration.
"Phoebe
the Maklar is going to hit his hand regardless if you do or not. And
if you do not hit, he bust. We win! Lets go tell the others." As
we rushed for the stairs Koral intersects us.
"Can I go home
now?" He pleads.
"Not yet but soon, come with us." I take his hand and we made our way to the attic.
"Are the potions and the spells ready?" Phoebe started.
"Just adding the last bit into the potion to give it that extra kick. And here comes Piper she put the kids down for the night." Paige said looking up from the bowl.
"Good and here CRYSTALS." I said orbing the crystals for the cage to keep the Maklar in. "Here goes everything ladies. Koral go downstairs with Leo and Leonardo they will make sure you are not hurt."
We all chanted, "Come to us the evil that we seek the evil that takes the souls of the good the strong and even the meek. Maklar who cast the curse on the Island of Atlantis we call to thee to hear our beckoning and answer our plea." The room shook for a moment I found my way to the chair Paige glamoring me into the form of a sickly looking child as to make the Maklar underestimate me. The shaking settled and he was there.
"How DARE you summon me? I will have your heads for this!" he roared, as he tried to exit the cage getting a much deserved shock. "Release me!"
"Not so far Maklar, I assume you know us and you know that you are no match for us. We brought you here because we want to make a gamble with you." Piper offered.
"What kind of fool do you take me for?" he asked.
"I'll answer that." Phoebe smirked
"Making a deal with the Charmed ones that is digging my own grave."
"Well so is refusing. What are you scared?" Paige taunted "Look here is the deal. We know that you can give a creature it's soul back and this boy has lost his in a raw deal that he made with a warlock and the warlock is now dead but he is still without a soul. The deal is give him is soul and we will let you go. Simple as that."
He waved his hand in my direction to be sure that I was indeed soulless and when he was convinced he bellowed, "And what do I get out of the deal?"
"How bout your sorry ass life? I could blow you up right now." Piper chimed in.
"Not that easy to get rid of me witch. Lets play for his soul. If you win he gets his soul but if I win I get his and all of yours."
"Well if that is to be the deal then we get to choose the game to gamble. Are you up for a little hand of cards? Blackjack is the game and souls are the winning. Paige you wanna help me out with the card table?" Phoebe asked.
"Table, cards, chairs." Paige orbed in the items needed to play.
"You do know how to play don't you?" she asked the Maklar.
"Shut up and deal girly." He snapped. "One hand then I am on my way 4 souls richer."
"I am going to let you out of this cage and any funny business and you forfeit. Then I will blow your ass up." Piper scolded.
Just as Phoebe saw Paige flipped 7 of diamonds face up on her own hand and the Maklar had a 8 of spades and a 4 of hearts. Phoebe again had a 6 of clubs and an 8 of diamonds. Phoebe stood on her hand and the Maklar took a hit. Paige turned over onto his hand a Queen of clubs. With fury in his eyes he flipped the table. Knowing he lost drove him into a fit of anger. He screamed in a sinister voice. "NOOOOO!" And in a whirlwind of screams he vanquished himself.
"Damn that was easy. He did not even get to see if Paige's hand would beat mine or not. Gosh guess the Maklar's have well, really bad ass tempers." Phoebe exclaimed and she ran for the door to get Koral and the men.
With
all the noise Piper heard baby Chris crying for he was ripped from
his slumber by this crash of events. "Damn Maklar, now he will
never go back to sleep. Next time I see one I am just going to blow
his ass up." She shrieked as she made her way towards the baby's
room. Everyone gathered in the kitchen. "Well kid looks like it
is time to send you home your family and well all of you are free.
The deal that was struck is gone and well every thing should be back
to normal there."
"I know it is I can feel it. I can hear my
mother calling to me. I told her that I was with friends and she
says she would like to meet you all and thank you for you are all our
saviors. So please some back with me."
"Atlantis… us in Atlantis, that would be so cool. Come on Piper lets go. PLEASE!" Phoebe begged.
"Well Leo will you stay here with the kids?" Piper said turning to him, with puppy dog eyes.
"Go have fun. Leonardo will stay here with me… you girls go have some fun." he replied kissing her forehead and taking baby Chris from her arms.
"Great! Lets go! It is only " Paige squealed.
"Back to where you came, for your help here is done… bring the sister and brother who deserve some fun. Return to our homes in the swiftest of flight, precisely when the clock strikes the hour of midnight." The next thing we knew we were on the most beautiful beach we had ever seen. The sky was almost a hue of the brightest pink as the sun finished setting over the clear blue water. We were all greeted with kisses and praise and Koral introduced us all as the witches that saved their island. We made our way to the center of their town and were rushed to sit at the feast the and been magically created in honor of our arrivals.
"Mother they have so many wonderful powers. Piper can freeze time and blow things up, Paige and orb things and even people, Phoebe can see the future the past and she can fly and Parker….well what can you do Parker? Leo told me of the others but he was not sure what else you can do." Koral babbled.
"Yeah that is a good question that I have been meaning to ask myself what else can you do?" Paige asked.
"Well…. I do not wanna brag." I bashfully replied.
"Spill it buddy." Piper said in an almost sharp voice. But there was a smile on her face so I began to laugh.
"Well, I can do all that the sister can do, and a few more things."
"Such as…. " Phoebe looked up from third piece of chocolate cake.
"Good cake Phoebes?" Paige laughed as did we all. She ignored the comment.
"Well I assume that in time you all will be able to do these things, well at least some of them. I guess when I got my brothers powers I got what would have become their powers too. Here let me break it down like this for you. Piper the powers that I have that will be yours are the ability to phase out… and or go invisible. I just simply bend the light around me and whatever I choose to touch." I demonstrated and a number of people at the table gasped.
"Yeah you did that the first time we met when I was going to blow you up." She giggled
"And you will be able to freeze well larger areas. You will not even have to be there to freeze it. You can think of a place and freeze it with your mind. Won't even have to use your hands. And your blasting power will be growing with great force. But you can focus it to blow only parts of demons up at a time. It is kind of cool. There is also the control time not only freezing it but moving it forward and back. This is a great power but will take a lot out of you. I believe you remember Tempest, it is similar to what he has. But the only time that you can not do it is to save a life. For it we were not able to save them the first time around then we do not get a second chance unless it is one of the Charmed ones. There are some that sadly are not meant to be save regardless. And Pru though she was a Charmed one you nor can I rewind time back that far. The journey alone would kill us. And your blasting power will be growing with great force. But you can focus it to blow only parts of demons up at a time. It is kind of cool. Lastly you can control things in nature. I saw through my mirror that you became Mother Nature as a Goddess this was meant to be for Peter since childhood was able to make things grow and flourish such as plants and smaller creatures."
Her face lit up as I told her all of this.
"And me?" Paige chimed in.
"Well Paige you will be able to orb things without saying anything. And hopefully your ability to heal will grow and come to you in full force soon. You will also be able move through object, like walking through walls and stuff. And you will be able to freeze things as well but not like how Piper does you are going to be able to manipulate water."
"Now do me!" Phoebe exclaimed with cake falling out of her mouth.
"Ewey! Children present." I laughed.
"Ha ha," She shot back. "You know what I mean."
"Phoebes you will be able to use telepathy not only with us but with all creatures. Reading their minds and communicating with them. That is a trait that we will all have with each other but Phoebe and I will be the only ones that can do it with others. You will master the power of mind blurring…. Which is basically mind control on weaker demons etc. But that is a hard one to deal with because sometimes it backfires. I remember that Philip tried to control Gram one time in high school and well he ended up with a migraine and was partially deaf for a weak. And some stronger demons will be able to reverse it on you. But if you stay focused it will work for you in many cases."
"Great no more active powers. How come I always get the short end of the magic wand?" She complained.
"I am not done yet"
"Oh, sorry. Please go on."
"Well you will be able to shape shift. Not glamour but actually take on the form of anything that you want. That was the best for Philip when we played hide and seek. But I would just start waving my hands and throwing things around and he would come out of his state quite quickly. And You will be able to control the wind." I laughed.
"What other powers do you have that Pru would have had?" Piper meekly asked.
"Well you know that she was telekinetic and she could astroproject. Now when I astroproject both my body and my projection have my powers and both can more around at the same time. I call it my double trouble action. It has come in handy with Leonardo."
"TMI! TMI!" Phoebe almost gagged on her cake. I laughed and Piper and Paige both blushed.
"Well I can also blink. I am sure you have all run into warlocks that can do that. I can also control fire, fireballs and things like that. And well I guess now is as good a time as any. Ladies will you join me over by the center of town." I said leading them to the town square that we sat and had eaten around. "Phoebe leave the cake."
"Damn." she muttered.
"What are you doing?" Piper asked as she reached for my hand.
"Well when we arrived here I felt my powers come back to me in full force and the sensation came over me." I replied.
"What sensation?" Paige inquired.
"Well these powers have been mine for a long time but they are not rightfully mine. Well not all mine. Join hands you will see." They did as I asked.
"What is now mine will not forever be… I call on the Halliwell line to come together and help me…. Return the powers that were on loan…. Find in my sisters their rightful home." Twinkles of light floated about me settling in each of the sisters in their true resting places. Their eyes welled with tears as they felt not only the powers enter them but also the love that I have for them the love my brothers have for me and the hope and dreams of the Halliwell's of the future and past. We were now back to be whole. A Family. The Charmed Ones.