Alright, since the beta went well here's another chapter with more of Paige's power. If anyone wants to see Piper or Phoebe get another power then leave a review with a suggestion for their powers. And on another note, as much as I love getting reviews, and I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything, but if you leave a review that has an idea or a comment or question, please log in with an actual account instead of guest reviewing. It helps me known who to thank, ask questions, and/or otherwise talk to via PM. I promise not to be rude, ugly, or spam you with messages, I just may have a few questions for you specifically that don't need to be sent out via author's notes. Thank you for your understanding. And speaking of author's note discussions with guests, would mysterious named guest Amy88 please let me know what she/he thought of Paige's power? She/he was the one that wanted elemental control and not astral projection.
Chapter 25:
It took Phoebe about five minutes to realize that Paige had collapsed upstairs. She ran downstairs to Piper and said "Paige collapsed upstairs!"
"Yeah, I figured as much," Piper replied. Phoebe looked at her, puzzled and somewhat irritated at the apparent lack of concern Piper seemed to have for their baby sister.
Piper, in response to Phoebe's expression, gestured to the tub. "What? How did that happen? Was it a demon?" Phoebe asked.
"Nope, Paige just got a new power. She astral projects through the elements," Piper replied.
"Oh, that's so great honey!" Phoebe said, directing her words to Paige.
"My only concern is why hasn't she gone back to her body yet," Piper said.
"Since she isn't creating a new body for her astral consciousness to dwell in, it takes a lot less energy to maintain this. I don't think she'll go back to her body unless the water ceases to be an acceptable vessel," Jerome said.
"So, wait, I'm stuck this way?" Paige asked.
"Until you either master your new power or someone messes up the water," Jerome said.
"Like this?" Phoebe asked as she dropped a rock in the water. The water splashed and rippled, but Paige's face remained.
"Hey, that felt really, really weird!" Paige yelled.
"And now there's a rock in my tub of water," Piper said.
"Yeah, why do you have a tub of water?" Phoebe asked.
"Later!" Piper replied.
"Obviously that didn't work. When I say mess up the water, I mean on a molecular level. If he water boils or freezes, Paige's consciousness would be sent back to her body," Jerome said. Jerome looked at Paige and spoke to her. "With enough practice you should get good enough to go from one element to another without having to go back to your body each time. For now, you won't be able to go from one element straight to the next. And you will never be able to inhabit two elements at the same time."
"Why would I want to be in two elements?" Paige asked.
"If there isn't enough water to project into, and as you get better with this power it will require less of the element, then you can't project half of yourself into the water and the other half into some other element," Jerome said.
"Wait, ice and water are technically the same element, just with different molecular structures. Why are they counted as different elements?" Leo asked.
"Because of the difference in molecular structure. As it is, her consciousness is in the water and is using that particular molecular structure to house itself. If the structure changes, then her consciousness would have to readjust itself to handle the different conditions. With practice, then she should be able to handle being in water that freezes without being forced back to her own body. But, there would have to be enough ice for her to transfer to and enough water for her to be in. She'd have to cross from water to ice while it was freezing," Jerome explained.
"So, what you're saying is we either boil her or freeze her and that will put her back into her own body?" Piper asked.
"Yes," Jerome replied.
"To the freezer!" Phoebe yelled.
"Wait, I have a better idea," Piper said. "Leo, my powers are molecular based, right?"
"Yeah, why?" Leo asked.
Piper, in response, blew up the water. The water exploded in every direction, soaking everyone except Jerome. Phoebe noticed this and asked "Why isn't he soaked?"
"Because I'm telekinetic," Jerome replied.
"Cheater," Piper said as she wrung water out of her hair.
"Remind me never to get in a water balloon fight with him," Phoebe said as she copied her older sister.
Phoebe remembered the collapsed Paige upstairs and ran to check on her. Paige was groaning and moaning. "Paige! Are you okay?" Phoebe asked.
"My body hurts, I'm exhausted, and I feel really wet," Paige said.
"Paige, you're completely dry," Phoebe said.
"Huh? But I was water, how am I dry?" Paige asked.
Jerome walked in at that moment. "You weren't water, your consciousness was inhabiting water. You feel wet because your mind is used to having a liquid body, but your physical body was never in the water. It'll wear off in a while," Jerome said.
"And it makes sense that you'd be tired. Prue got really tired after astral projecting when she first developed the power," Phoebe said.
"And my body?" Paige asked.
"You collapsed and hit the floor when your consciousness left your body," Jerome said.
"And you've been in a ball on the floor since then. You're probably stiff," Phoebe said.
"Oh, okay. That makes sense," Paige said. "So, what else can my power do?"
"You're going to have to experiment and find that out for yourself," Jerome said. "Now, if you'll excuse me." Jerome Flickered away.
"Come on, Paige. Let's get you something to eat," Phoebe said. "By the way, what did it feel like to be blown up?"
"It really hurt. It felt like I was being ripped into a million pieces from every direct," Paige replied.
Phoebe and Paige walked downstairs while they were discussing the feeling of blowing up and into the kitchen. Phoebe led Paige into the kitchen and asked her what she was hungry for. "Um, I think just a peanut butter sandwich is fine. I have dinner plans tonight," Paige said.
"Ooh, a date? Who with?" Phoebe asked, immediately changing focus.
"Just a guy I work with. He asked me and I didn't want to hurt his feelings," Paige replied.
"So, are you over Jerome?" Phoebe asked.
Paige blushed. "I-I, n-no! I was never into him!"
Phoebe, despite herself, laughed. "Oh, please, Paige! You were so into him! From what I can see, you still are!"
Paige blushed even deeper red, She grabbed her sandwich, sat down, and ate in silence. Phoebe smiled and went outside to Piper.
"Paige's okay. She's a bit stiff from laying on the floor for as long as she did, and she's pretty tired, but she's okay," Phoebe said.
"Great. Can you help me carry this tub into the kitchen?" Piper asked.
"Sure. So, are you going to tell me why you have a giant tub of water?" Phoebe asked. She looked around and also asked "And will you tell me where Leo went?"
"The Elders want to talk to Leo about something. My guess would be Paige's new power. As for the tub, I really don't know. Jerome wanted it for some mysterious reason that he wouldn't tell me about," Piper replied.
"Wait, and you got him one? Why?" Phoebe asked.
"Because I figured 'What harm could he possibly do with a tub of water?' So, since I still want him to trust us and tell us about himself, I decided it would be a good idea to get it. I didn't know that it would weigh as much as it does, or that Paige would astral project herself into it," Piper replied.
"So, what does he need it for?" Phoebe asked.
Jerome Flickered behind Phoebe. "Because," he said, causing Phoebe to jump and drop the tub "Water is the easiest thing to be elementally astral projected into, and Paige needed something easy to do for her first test with her new power. A large tub of water was a prefect medium for her to learn about her power with. And I knew you two would both try to get her help at the same time, providing the impetus to split. By the way, here's you jade necklace, Phoebe," Jerome said. He handed Phoebe the necklace she had been looking for that morning.
"You took it? How did you even know about Paige's power?" Phoebe asked.
"The reason she woke up cold was because she projected herself into a glacier in the arctic circle while she slept. I saw her last night while I was up there," Jerome replied. Jerome Flickered off somewhere.
"Wow, not only is he insanely powerful, but he's terrifyingly brilliant," Piper said.
"Yeah," Phoebe replied. "Probably too brilliant."
Author's Note:
So, what do you think? Like I said earlier, I want to give Piper and Phoebe upgrades, too, so any ideas for them would be great. Leave a review telling me what you think and give me some ideas for Piper and Phoebe, and any requests for Paige's new power would be wonderful, too.