The Charmed Ones say they're normal, here they are. Aren't they? ;)
To makoto20: Thanks for the support. Hope you'll stay with me.
To lizardmomma: Thanks for this. Hope I'll enjoy well then.
12. Only Ordinary
ZANKOU'S LAIR
Laygan was running, though he could shimmer. Yet his master insisted on some 'human' rules, making him sigh. He wondered what Zankou wanted now. Obviously a new plan to get the baby and the Nexus. Wonderful.
"Laygan, where are you? Hurry up, I don't have all time," Zankou called out annoyed and tapped his finger on the pool impatiently.
"Sorry, Master," the demon apologized, out of breath. "But you forbad to shimmer. Anyway, what do you need me for?"
"I've got a new plan, to get Chris and the Nexus," Zankou explained smiling. "And I want your opinion on this, my friend."
"Oh, I'm honored, I think," Laygan replied nervously. "And what is your plan if I may ask. I'm sure it's a good one."
Zankou smiled. Demons were so simply knitted. "I think I will get to know each Charmed One one by one, and with that knowledge I can attack them. And I shouldn't forget Daddy dearest who's always with his son. What work do the four do? Let me know, please!"
Laygan swallowed hard. "Well, as far as I know, Phoebe still works at the Bay Mirror and Piper does so in her club P3. Paige is still looking for a normal job but works as the family's whitelighter now. It just happened recently. And Leo works in Magic School, a place which is protected against demons. That's all I know."
Zankou leaned forward. "Indeed very interesting. So all could need some help or push in their newest job. Leave me alone, so I can decide what to do and which way I'll go."
Laygan bowed slightly and stepped back. Then he went away and wondered what his Master will do with the Charmed Ones, and Leo.
Zankou began to think. Magic School was out of question since demons don't have access there, so for Leo he had to find something different. The three sisters were easier, because they were living in the normal world, yet for these acts he had to create some pseudos … and he needed the ability to change himself.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER
Paige was running. Obviously she was in a hurry and the young woman was not happy. Paige didn't like to run and this was so not her day. First she overslept and then given a lecture by Piper as she, unfortunately, had forgotten to buy anything. Therefore she was now in the city, and, all of a sudden, there was a young man in front of her whom she just ran into.
"Whoa there, young lady, take care of your feet and body," he welcomed her smiling. "My name's Oscar, by the way. Nice to meet you."
"Paige, and thanks for helping me," Paige greeted him as well. "And sorry, I wasn't really looking where I was going. You want a coffee?"
Oscar nodded. "Thanks. Why were you in such a hurry? Running away from a dragon maybe?" He laughed openly and ordered two cups of coffee for them.
Paige groaned slightly. "Only from a dragon who happened to be my sister but you didn't hear that from me, okay? And thanks for ordering already."
"No problem," Oscar replied smiling. "Still, it's not usual to call the own sister a dragon." He laughed. "I bet she'd kill you if she knew."
"You have no idea," she muttered under her breath. Out loud Paige spoke, "But we're not here to talk about my family, are we? I'd suggest to get to know each other better, don't you think?"
Oscar leaned forward on his hands. "Well, you made me curious. Do you have a big family? I mean if you don't mind telling me. It could be interesting."
Paige looked up sharply. "Why are you so interested in my family? We just met or do you know something I don't? You are someone I know, aren't you? Tell me."
Oscar laughed. "Don't you think you're way too cautious? It is if you see evil everywhere." The woman stopped suddenly. "Did I say anything wrong, Paige?"
"No, no. But I've been taught to be careful. And to answer your questions: Yes, I have a big family, and it'll be growing still, I think."
"You may be right," Oscar agreed, slurping on his coffee. "Is your family okay? I mean, were there any attacks recently?" He leaned close to her saying quietly, "I've heard about the Charmed Ones."
"You're a witch too?" Paige whispered shocked but then sighed relieved. "Oh, it's so good to talk about wiccan stuff freely again. I thought I was doomed in that department."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Oscar asked bewildered. "Never mind. See you can trust me now, so you want to tell me about your family?" The man waited and hoped for an answer.
And Paige did, not knowing who in reality was listening. If only she knew but she spoke as openly as she could in public. After an hour, Paige had to run agai as she was expected home by now. Saying good-bye to her date and Paige was gone.
Oscar simply nodded and walked to the rest room. Coming out was a different man, going by the name Oleg and walking directly to the Bay Mirror.
TALK & TALKING
Phoebe was working on her column furiously as a knock distracted her. Looking up, she saw a good looking man and Phoebe smiled at him instantly. "What can I do for you?" she asked politely.
"Well, my name's Oleg and I was looking for your advice, only this time personally if you don't mind," Oleg offered sighing. "What do you say?"
Phoebe was shocked. "I'd need to ask Elise first. Then we'll see what can be arranged." She stood up and walked to her boss, asking for her permission but Elise just requested the photos again. Sighing, she agreed and got it. Going back to her office, Oleg was sitting at her desk. "Alright, we can go. Where to?"
Oleg smiled. "I know a nice little café not so far away from here. It's nice there. You need one, don't you?"
"You are so right," Phoebe agreed. "Let's go!"
The two of them walked out of the building and went to a café where they sat down and ordered two coffees. For some time, they just sat and drank their coffee. After that, Oleg began to ask questions. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" he asked curiously. "I mean I know your advice is so great but you are a great person as well, I think."
"Thanks. And no, I don't mind. With your questions I can read you as well and get to know you. So shoot!" Phoebe slurped on her coffee and waited for them.
"Well, I've heard you have two sisters and two cute little nephews. Yet it seems your love is with your profession, and of course, your family. And I know you have also another profession secretly." Oleg looked at her closely and watched her reaction curiously.
Phoebe, indeed, looked up sharply. "Wait, how do you know?" She whispered then, "Are you a witch too?" Her opposite nodded. "Oh, that's great. Then I can speak more openly."
"Sure, do," Oleg agreed grinning. "So, how's family? Everything fine with them? I mean, no demons in the house or so? Any attacks or so?"
"Shsh, not so loud!" Phoebe said. "You know it is weird that the demons attack Chris nowadays, not so often Wyatt anymore. Must be, because Chris is connected with the Shadow."
"Oh." Oleg leaned to her more closely. "Do you have an idea how this 'contact' works between those two? I mean the Shadow always knows if Chris is in danger, doesn't it? Otherwise it wouldn't make sense."
"You are right, but none of us knows how it works. Yet it seems that the Shadow itself always knows or feels when Chris is in danger."
"I see." Oleg thought for a while. "Would one of your family maybe know?"
That, however, made Phoebe suspicious and she relied on her empathy. "Why do I get the feeling you are not who you pretend to be? I mean you are very curious, if not too curious, for someone I just met. Who are you really?"
"Sorry, I can't say," Oleg offered and jumped up, running away from anyone. Damn it! His cover was nearly blown. Phoebe's empathy was a factor he hadn't taken into consideration. Now Zankou had to be even more careful with Piper and Leo.
Phoebe looked after the fleeing man. Something big was going on and she intended to find this out. With or without the others' help.
DAYS PASSING BY … …
Piper was at her club P3, working and thinking about what her sisters had told her. Their stories seemed not really believable, at least Phoebe's. Her gut, however, screamed at her that something big was going on, yet she couldn't figure it out. Sighing, the eldest Charmed One hoped her gut was wrong.
"Hi," a strangly voice called out behind her. "Don't be afraid of me, I'm just looking around. Oh, by the way, my name's Olav, coming from Norway."
"Oh, that's interesting, I think. My club has barely had guests from abroad. You've come a long way," Piper let him know. "You want anything to drink?"
"Would be nice, and thanks." Olav sat down on one of the chairs at the bar. "How long have you been running this club already? I mean it's still crowded, right?"
"Of course," Piper quickly agreed. "You see I'm a Mom of two boys and life's not easy with those two, yet I'm happy to have my husband by my side. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to run it, you know. But that's our secret, okay."
"Sure, no problem," Olav said smiling, full knowing this information could be useful. "Well, your club seems to attract good bands as far as I've heard, even in Europe. Who's your latest guest if I can know."
"Oh. It was 'The Donnas' as I always try to get the newest acts. But over the day my boys sometimes come here, to play and practise. It's so good to hear childish laughter in this club, you know."
Olav laughed. "Oh, I can imagine. Children are always good, for the future." Then he sighed, "Oh boy, it'd be so cool to know the future already. I'd use it to my knowledge – for football or any other game in the world."
Piper gasped. "If you're a witch, then you should know about personal gain! It's forbidden for us. Besides, knowing the future could stop what we're meant to do. There are consequences if you're not careful."
Olav looked at her closely. "It is as if you speak of experience. The future is always on the risk if you change your normal behavior. What about your boys and their future if I can ask?"
Piper looked at him sharply. "I believe it's saved. I may not have seen the result yet but I believe in it." Her gut feeling returned. "Can you tell me who you really are? You're way too curious if you ask me."
Zankou in disguise as Olav cursed under his breath, and he quickly stood up, "I'll need to go now. Had been nice to get to know you and your club. Got some ideas for my club in Norway. Bye!" And he was gone as fast as he could. This was the second attempt which failed. Damn those witches!
Piper looked after him, now knowing her younger sisters had been right. More Phoebe but all these questions from three different people about their family was definitely not by accident. Something big was going on here, and she intended to find it out.
LATER THAT DAY
All three sisters, and Leo, gathered in the Manor where they could talk about the three different men who seemed to have one thing in common: their interest in their family, especially the boys and then more Chris. And with him the Shadow. Great, just great.
"What do we do and who we're dealing with?" Paige wanted to know. "And all this is creepy, by the way."
All grinned at her but Leo spoke up now, "I think all of you spoke with the same person and this would be Zankou. Oscar, Oleg and Olav were all Zankou. It seems as if he can shapeshift now as well."
Phoebe watched him incredulously. "Are you saying we all met the same person?" Leo nodded. "Wonderful. And now he knows some secrets of us. I bet Leo is also on his list."
"True, but he can't get into Magic School. It's so protected against demons or evils, so I'm safe there," Leo said, playing with his sons who wouldn't want to sleep obviously.
"Honey," Piper began, tickling her babies as well. "If Zankou is such a clever demon, he might come into Magic School as well. He'll find a way or if you go outside with the boys. You never know."
Leo let his thoughts flow. "Okay, I'll be extra careful but you haven't said anything to him yet. Just simple things about our lives. It's useless to think about now."
Paige shrugged her shoulders. "If you say so but don't say we didn't warn you. Besides, we met future Zankou, so present one should not be a problem, I think."
"You think?" Piper asked stunned. "Not very helpful. I've got the feeling that Zankou follows a plan with these little 'talkings' but which?"
"Maybe we should ask Kira for help. She's the only one who can help now," Phoebe suggested and looked at the others who nodded. "Kira knows Zankou best. I'm going to call her right away." She took the phone and called their friend who at first shouted at them before calming down and coming over.
Urgent knocking at the door caused Paige to stand up and open it, only to reveal a furious Kira. "Why did you call me so late? I said I could be of help! So what happened?" Kira sat down next to Leo and the boys.
"Well," Paige started a bit nervously. "We think we three have met Zankou, yet he appeared as three different persons and also with different names. Leo thinks that Zankou can shapeshift now and did this to get to know us."
"He's right," Kira agreed nodding. "Zankou is destined to fight with you three, about the Nexus and he's trying to find out your weak spots and with that he can get to Chris, the key to the Nexus or Shadow."
"Wow, you're a good source for info," Paige said impressed. "So what do we do with that knowledge now?"
"We are going to be extra careful in the future," Piper said determined and took her baby who was already sleeping. "But now we're going to bed. I'm tired." She walked up the stairs and into the bedroom.
Leo followed closely with Wyatt while Phoebe, Paige and Kira decided to talk still. Zankou was an interesting subject and the more they knew, the better. You never know what may come. Half an hour later all three parted and went to sleep. All they did know was that Zankou would try again and this time on Leo.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER
Leo decided to take a day off. Off of Magic School and his family, except the boys who he took with. It was time and no matter what Zankou would do, the father was prepared. Wyatt and Chris had their powers but if they exposed magic, Leo only sighed. Going to the park was the best idea.
Taking the stroller with both boys, Leo walked to the park and sat down with his sons on a blanket. Playing with Wyatt and Chris always made him happy but today he had to be extra careful. Magic could be exposed and with this, maybe no more boys. He shuddered at that thought.
"Pardon. Do you mind? You seemed to be lonely," a female voice startled him. Looking up, Leo saw a nice looking woman above him. "My name's Olga, by the way."
"Olga?" Leo requested stunned. "You're not related to Oleg, are you? I mean the names sound similar and Russian, still."
"Silly," Olga said laughing. "That's just a pure coincidence, nothing else. Do you think I'm someone who's after your boys?"
"Good guess," Leo replied smirking. "It was your choice of names, Zankou, all starting with an 'O'. Too much by accident if you ask me. So what do you want, Zankou?"
Zankou changed back into his normal self, yet also with normal clothes. "I take it Kira had told you about our future. That we'll fight against each other. But you know as well as I do that I want your baby boy. To have access to the Nexus."
"Yep, we were told," Leo said determined. "And there's no way you're getting Chris and the Nexus. The fight will happen though." Then he looked at his opposite oddly. "It's weird to talk to you in a normal way."
Zankou did the same. "So true. But right now we both don't want to expose magic, otherwise no more us and we'd stand in front of the Tribunal."
"Been there already," Leo offered sighing. "So what do we do now, Zankou? We're not friends but enemies as you may remember."
"I do," Zankou replied, looking nervously around. "Do you know any place here where I can shimmer back unseen? We don't want to call the Cleaners, now do we?"
"Right," Leo agreed and looked at Zankou stunned. "You seem to differ from other demons we've got to know. How come? You act like the Source with a great plan behind it."
"You can read people well, Leo, I admit," the demon said rather urgently. "But I really need to go now! Planning and all, you know."
Leo pointed to a dark tree. "There is a safe place and you wouldn't be seen as well." Zankou walked quickly to the pointed tree. "By the way, when do we meet again?"
"You'll be the first to notice. Promise!" Zankou shouted before he was gone. Again, to plot against them.
The father sighed and turned to his boys who were playing still. It was as if they hadn't noticed that there was a demon, or Wyatt just had distracted his baby brother long enough, to even realize it. Yet he wondered why there was no blue bubble.
"Alright, kids," Leo whispered to his sons. "Why am I not seeing a blue bubble in front of me? There was a demon here, so let me know now!"
Wyatt looked up at his Dad and grinned. "Me and Kwis together. No seen." He shook his head and his little brother giggled happily.
"Wait. What?" Leo was certainly confused now but he thought he'd heard right. "So you both can combine your powers, eh? Wow, that's great, I think. We should speak with some Elders, I guess."
Leo put his boys back into the stroller and folded the blanket carefully. Walking back home he thought about what kind of powers both his sons had. It seemed that there was more behind it – with him being an Elder this time.
BACK AT THE MANOR
As the man returned, he was greeted with three worried faces. Taking the boys out of the stroller and to their blanket in the sunroom, Leo at first ignored them and sat down sighing.
Piper couldn't stand his silence. "Where have you been, Leo?" she asked annoyed, with her hands on the hips. "You were supposed to stay inside and not to wander around outside! What were you thinking?!"
"I spoke with Zankou," he only offered and silenced with that the three sisters. "Before you lash out on me again, we were just talking and he came to me as a woman named Olga. So, yes, it was a simple chat, nothing more."
"I can't believe that," Phoebe just said amazed. "You figured it out at first, Leo and still, how can you both just talk? That doesn't make sense in my eyes."
"Well, I guess he didn't see me as a threat and the boys were protected by their combined magic. That reminds me, I'd need to speak with the Elders about this. Anyway, as I said before, Zankou was out for info about us. I believe that what Kira said to be true."
"I think you're right," Paige agreed in her thinking mood. "Kira said that we'd fight against each other and well, to weaken us, Zankou needs to get to know us." She sighed. "Oh great, now I have headache."
Piper, however, was not happy about this perspective. She sighed, "Okay, let's say we believe Kira and also your theories, I totally don't like to have Zankou so close by. I mean, we know for sure he's after Chris to get the Nexus."
"And what better way to get our baby boy over us!" Leo nearly yelled at his wife. "If he knows us, then he get the Book, Chris and the Nexus." Seeing that he didn't achieve anything tonight, Leo stood up and brought his sons to their beds. After that he went to sleep as well, leaving their disput outside.
The three sisters looked at each other long before seeing that they had no ideas to talk further. It was quickly decided to go to bed as well as the night had taken over long ago. Phoebe and Paige slept well but Piper had no success. There was silence in their bedroom over this night.
IN THE UNDERWORLD
Zankou was satisfied, if only half but he'd gained some info. It was not much, and he had all the time in the world. With Chris being the key to the Shadow and Nexus as well as the Charmed Ones and the Twice-Blessed child as his guards, life was not easy for him but Zankou would find a way. No matter what.
"I can wait and I will get what I want," he said into the dark. "Time will be on my side, I'm sure."
His eyes were the last thing you could see in the dark.
TBC...
Zankou and his play with the letter 'O'. Nice, isn't it. What better way to show how clever Zankou is. lol
Reviews are very appreciated!
