SEVEN
Leo orbed everyone back to the manor. He immediately said he needed to go see the Elders. He claimed it was to inform them of the vanquishing of the Transient demon but the girls knew differently. He was going to inform them that Angie was a bigot. She was currently sitting in the living room resting up from their ordeal at the abandoned apartment complex. The others were in the solarium talking. Piper had gone into the kitchen saying she had a small matter to take care of.
"Well, it certainly explains her antagonism toward Darryl," said Cole. "If she's a bigot she wouldn't even want to be in the same room as Darryl."
"I don't see what we can do about it," said Phoebe. "She's a witch, after all. It's not like we can vanquish her. Besides, we're supposed to fight demons. I don't think a bigot exactly fits that description."
"But we can't just let her walk out of here," said Prue. "If she is a bigot she could put an innocent in danger. She could even cause them to get killed."
"How?" Phoebe questioned. "If she doesn't even want to be in the same room with them how could she be a danger to them?"
"What happens if a demon attacks a black person?" Prue asked. "Considering her attitude toward black people she might just decide they aren't worth saving. She could just let the demon kill that person based on nothing more than the person is black."
"And it's not just black people who could be in danger," said Cole. "If she is a bigot she probably hates anyone who isn't white, like her. Most bigots see themselves as superior to anyone who isn't the same skin color."
"That's just stupid," said Phoebe. "Skin color is no indication of anything. It just doesn't make sense that she'd hate someone based solely on the color of their skin."
"Bigotry is never intelligent," said Cole. "I remember growing up. Anyone who wasn't white was considered to be inferior. It's changed a great deal over time but there are still people out there who look down on others based purely on what color they are."
"And it's not just race, either," said Prue. "There was a time when women were considered inferior to men. In fact, I still run into men who feel that way. That women should be protected despite what they are capable of. That we're somehow weaker just because we're women. It's always infuriated me when I run into attitudes like that."
"Physically, women are weaker than men," said Phoebe.
"That may be true," said Cole. "But it's been my experience that most women can accomplish anything men can do. Oh, there are some things that men are better at just as there are some things that women are better at. But that's usually because of some physical characteristic that we really have no control over.
"It's the same with people of different colored skin. Just because one is darker than another doesn't make them any more or less inferior. It's just a color. It really has no bearing on what kind of person they are. It seems that some people still haven't learned that yet."
"Well, the Elders have been informed of Angie's attitude," said Leo, orbing into the kitchen. "They're still debating what they should do about it. None of them agree with her thinking but they can't seem to agree on what to do about it."
"Well, right now I saw we all go into the living room so we can celebrate our victory over the Transient demon," said Piper, walking into the solarium holding a tray with full wine glasses on it. "Despite her attitude we did vanquish a demon. I think that deserves a celebration."
"We've never celebrated a vanquishing before," said Prue, confused. "What's the special occasion this time?"
"Oh, just something I thought we should do," said Piper. "Considering we did have the help of another witch. It's kind of a special occasion."
"What's she up to?" Cole whispered to Leo.
"You got me," Leo whispered back. "She hasn't said a word to me."
"Here we go," said Piper, sitting the tray on the coffee table in front of Angie. She picked up a glass and handed it to Angie. "We thought we'd just celebrate our victory over the Transient demon."
"I've never celebrated vanquishing a demon before," said Angie, taking the glass. "Do you do this every time you vanquish a demon?"
"No, not every time," said Piper, glancing at the others. "Just on special occasions. Like we told you. We don't get the chance to meet other witches very often. It just seems like a special occasion to me."
Everyone picked up a glass. Piper held her glass up.
"To victory over evil," she said. "May we always be so victorious."
"Hear, hear," said Prue.
They all took a drink from their glasses, celebrating the toast.
"Oh, this is bitter," said Angie. "Are you sure this wine is okay? It tastes like it's turned or something."
"No, not turned," said Piper, putting her glass down. "I had to make the potion more potent so that it would be affective even if you didn't drink the entire glass. I guess that's why your glass is bitter. I guess it's the affects of the potion on the wine. But I couldn't risk that you would only get part of the potion and that it wouldn't work. That's why I had to make it stronger than normal."
"Potion?" Prue asked. "What potion?"
"The power-stripping potion," Piper said, looking directly at Angie.
"You gave me a power stripping potion?" Angie demanded, her temper flaring. "Why by all that's holy would you do that? I can't go after demons now."
"Exactly what I had in mind," said Piper. "You're too dangerous to be allowed powers. We're supposed to protect the innocent and fight evil. We're not supposed to be evil ourselves."
"I'm not evil," insisted Angie. "I hunt demons just like you do."
"With the exception that you consider yourself superior to everyone else," said Prue. "Your comment about Darryl being a kaffer is proof of that. You think that just because he's black he's somehow inferior to you."
"He is," defended Angie. "Just look at him. I don't see how you can call him your friend. He's obviously not as good as we are."
"You're wrong," said Phoebe. "Darryl is a good friend. And he's just as smart and as good as anyone we know. Better than most. You hate him because of the color of his skin. That's just stupid."
"It's the natural order," said Angie. "I suppose I can't blame you for being a kaffer lover. After all, you're friends with a demon. You're the ones who don't deserve to have powers. You don't have the right to call yourself witches. You obviously think that just anyone deserves to be saved."
"Spoken like a true demon," said Cole.
"How dare you," snapped Angie. "I'm no demon. I'm a witch."
"Not any more you're not," said Piper. "When you drank that glass of wine you stripped your powers. You're as mortal as anyone else."
"Oh, I didn't mean a traditional demon," said Cole. "There are different kinds of demons. Some of us are born this way. We have no choice in the matter. It's part of who we are. But people like you choose their beliefs. You choose to think of yourselves as better than other people. When in reality the differences are nothing more than superficial.
"I'm over a hundred years old and I've run into people like you all my life. The Underworld is permeated with this kind of attitude. The 'better' ruling the 'inferior'. When the truth is that the only real differences are in how people think. But the way you think only shows that you're the inferior ones. People afraid of what they don't understand. Afraid of anything different from themselves."
"You're wrong," said Angie. "And I'll show you. We are better than they are. I'll find a way to get my powers back and when I do I'm going to . . . oh, I suddenly feel dizzy."
"Oh, that would probably be the other potion I put in your drink," said Piper. "I wasn't sure how long it would take before it affected you."
"What . . .what other potion?" questioned Angie, sitting on the sofa.
"Just a little something to show you what it's like to be on the other side for a change," said Piper. "To show you how your attitude affects people every day."
They all watched as Angie's skin began to darken. Within moments she was as dark as Darryl. She stood up and looked at herself in a mirror.
"What have you done?" she shrieked. "You've turned me into one of them."
"You mean into a kaffer?" Piper asked, a note of sarcasm in her voice. "Yes, that's exactly what I've done. Maybe if you have to live as one of them you might just change your attitude. Maybe you'll come to see just how stupid and idiotic your racism really is."
"You can't do this," Angie shouted. "Change me back. Change me back immediately."
"Sorry, can't do that," said Piper. "As far as I know there is no way to counter the potion I gave you. You'll just have to live with it, I guess."
"I'll get you for this," Angie shrieked as she headed for the front door. "You'll see. One day I'll get my powers back and when I do I'll make you all pay for what you've done here. I swear it."
Without another word she flung the front door open and ran out into the street. Within a few moments she had disappeared down the street. Leo started to head for the front door.
"Let her go, Leo," said Prue. "It's better than she deserves."
"Piper, you can't do this," said Leo, coming back into the living room. "It's not your place to punish her for what she believes. Right or wrong she has the right to her beliefs."
"Relax," said Piper. "The affects of that second potion will wear off in a few days. In the meantime maybe she'll learn how wrong it is to treat people the way she does based simply on the color of their skin. Maybe it will help her change her attitude."
"Piper,' Leo began to protest.
"No, Leo, she's right," said Prue. "Angie isn't just anyone. She's a witch. Or at least she was until Piper fed that power-stripping potion to her. Remember what I said about her possibly letting an innocent die because of the color of their skin? Who's to say it hasn't happened all ready? That she ignored an innocent in danger because they measure up to her standards of who deserves help and who doesn't? Besides, now the Elders don't have to decide what to do about her. Without her powers we don't have to worry about her putting an innocent in danger again."
"Besides," said Piper, "it's done. Her powers are gone. And as far as I know there's no way to reverse it. So the Elders will just have to live with it."
"They aren't going to be happy about this," said Leo.
"So what else is new?" questioned Phoebe. "It's not the first time they won't be happy with something we've done. Just something else for them to complain about."
"They're right, Leo," said Cole. "What's done is done. There's not a whole lot we can do about it. And Piper is right. Maybe it will help to change Angie's attitude. It doesn't happen often but it does happen. Like you said, people can change if they have enough incentive. Maybe this will be the incentive she needs to change."
"Well, maybe," said Leo reluctantly. "And like you said, there's nothing we can do about it. I guess there really isn't much the Elders are going to be able to do about it. And somehow it does seem fitting, I guess."
"That's the attitude," said Prue.
"Well," said Cole, putting his arm around Phoebe, "what say we all go out and get something to eat? With all this demon hunting Piper hasn't had a chance to prepare anything. I know this great little restaurant in the east part of town that serves the best Thai food."
"Oh, I haven't had Thai food in a long time," said Phoebe. "Count me in."
"Sounds good to me," said Prue. "I'm up for it."
"Thai food?" questioned Piper. "That's kind of spicy."
"Where's your sense of adventure?" Cole asked, smiling at her.
"Okay, Leo and I are in," said Piper. "But you're paying, Turner."
"For everyone?" questioned Cole as they all headed for the front door.
"Hey, you're the one who invited us," said Prue. "First rule of dating, he who asks has to pay."
"I've never heard that rule," said Phoebe.
"What happened to women's lib and all that?" Cole asked as they headed to the cars.
"For tonight I think I prefer to be a bit old-fashioned," said Prue. "Which means you're paying, Turner. End of discussion."
"I hope I remembered to bring my credit card," Cole laughed.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website, Creative Passions, listed in my bio. You can also post your own "Charmed" stories or other stories if you like to write fan fiction.
