Heaven's Mistaken Gift
by: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell
Co-written by: That70sShoLova
Chapter 25: Sinister Intentions
Melinda discreetly shimmered into Phoebe's empty room. She bit her lip, surveying the room. Where should she start?
She hesitantly took a step towards her mother's bed. She got down on her knees, lifting up the bed skirt and fluffy comforter that was a little too long, where it nearly brushed the floor. She let the blanket and skirt fall down on her head as she squinted in the dull light. Melinda pulled back and let out an angry huff of air. Dusty bunnies and a lone sock.
She brushed her hair away from her face as she stood up and scattered the dust off her knees. She walked over to Phoebe's dresser, picking up a run-down tube of red lipstick. She shrugged lightly her childish mind thinking it could work. Her fingers absentmindedly drummed against the wood as her eyes studied the objects on the dresser.
Her hand reached out towards a picture frame with a girl with straight dark hair. Her fingers ghosted down the side of the woman's face. She was beautiful. Who was she?
Melinda's eyes flickered towards a nearby reflection. She walked up to the mirror. "Kali?" she asked tentatively. At first, she saw herself. The short girl with tight blonde ringlets. Her fingers ran through her tangles, but she gave a tiny yelp as the mirror rippled like the glass was water.
Kali appeared in the glass, her frame leaning casually from nothing. "Hello, Melinda. You're back quickly."
Melinda pushed her foot around nervously as she twiddled the lipstick in her hand. She untwisted the cap and pushed up the worn out stick of scarlet. She felt the need to check in with Kali as if she were a five-year-old pouring a bowl of cereal. She had to know if she was doing everything right.
The demon rolled her eyes. "And what is lipstick supposed to do?"
"Well, maybe she's like a bull!" Melinda said in nervousness. She wanted to please Kali. "I learned that bulls are attracted to the color red! Maybe Mama is like a bull."
Kali sighed. This is what she got for working with a kid. "Uh, sweetie," the word didn't sound right coming out of her mouth. "Bulls are colorblind. They are attracted to the movement of the flag, not the color."
Melinda's eyes turned sad at the fact that she was wrong. "Oh...Well, I found this," she announced as she held up a picture of the dark haired beauty.
Kali stared at the picture. "Who is she?"
Melinda shrugged, a tiny smile forming on her face at the fact that she might have found something worthy of their plan. "I don't know."
Kali growled softly at not knowing as much as she thought she did. "I have never seen her around. Melinda, I want you to ask Phoebe who she is."
Melinda smiled and clapped her hands once. "Okay!" She tucked the frame under her arm and shimmered into the kitchen where her family was casually drinking coffee.
"Mommy, mommy!" Melinda shouted merrily. "I found something!"
Phoebe smiled at her daughter's voice. She looked up from her coffee and gently took the photo out of Melinda's hands. "Did you find this on my dresser?"
Melinda nodded. "Yeah. She's pretty, a princess. Who is she?"
Piper smiled as she tightened her hands around her mug. "A princess, alright. She's your Aunt Prue."
She blinked and looked down at the picture. "Oh. The one w-who..."
Piper nodded with a sad smile. "Yeah."
"I'll put that away, Mama," Melinda said quietly.
Phoebe smiled. "Thanks, sweetheart."
She nodded as she took back the photo and shimmered back to her mom's room. She walked up to the reflection and tapped it gently.
Kali raised an inquiring eyebrow. "Well?"
"Her name is Prue," Melinda answered. "She's Mama's oldest sister. She died from a demon attack..."
Kali's eyes lit with joy, but hurried to mask it. "Melinda. I need to take over your body."
"B-But—"
"It's important."
"Okay." She pouted. She sat down on Phoebe's bed and her shoulders slumped as she relaxed to let Kali take over her body.
Kali's eyes flickered open and she looked in the mirror to see Melinda's reflection. She smiled, and so did the girl in the mirror. She shimmered down to the Underworld, looking for the demonic shape-shifters.
"M-My liege," a woman bowed down to her as soon as she saw her.
Kali smiled as the woman nervously looked up at her. "I need your help."
"Mine?" She squeaked.
She nodded. "Are you a shape-shifter?"
The girl managed a tiny nod. "Yes, my lady."
"Good." The air crinkled and the photo of Prue appeared in her hand. "I need you to shift into her."
"Prue Halliwell?" The demon gasped. "But why?"
"I have a plan. And I need a shape-shifter. I will have a Darklighter disguise your shimmers to the orbs of the dead Halliwells."
"A-And if I fail you?"
"Then nothing," Kali lied. "I will spare you for helping me." She pulled the demon up. "Now, come. We need to find a Darklighter."
"My liege, what exactly is your plan?" She asked nervously as they rounded a corner to the Darklighter cave.
"My plan, Prue, is to distract the Charmed Ones while I unite the demons to rise against the Power of Three. The sisters will be too distracted by their dead sister being able to visit them from the Afterlife that they won't have time for me." She smiled.
In a mere second, the woman in the photograph was standing beside her in a white tank top and tight blue jeans and sneakers. The only difference in appearance was her eyes. Where the witch's were a deep green, hers were bright red, easily revealing her true identity. The shape-shifter noticed this and mimicked the color in a flash.
Kali looked at her and an evil grin spread across her features. "Perfect. Now all you need are her powers and memories."
"Memories?" The shape-shifter asked. "What good will those do? Didn't she die two years ago?"
Kali stopped. "If you're going to be her and act like her," she seethed, punching the cavern wall, "then you need her memories as well."
The shape-shifter felt a small tremor of fear at the tone of her voice and instantly changed her opinion. "Y-Yes," she gulped, "of c-course. How silly of me! S-so how am I to get the powers and memories?"
They passed a dark cavern and entered the next on their left. "Leave that to me." They stopped in the entryway. The Darklighters straightened up immediately upon seeing their leader. Others shrank back in fear of the woman beside her. "So, who wants a chance at greatness?"" Kali asked, walking into the middle of the room.
The Darklighter in back, obviously the most powerful and fearless, stepped up and kneeled at her feet. "I would like a chance to prove myself, Liege. What task do you need completed?"
Kali thought a moment. They hadn't discussed this in full, mainly because 'Prue' had no powers or memories yet, so she thought it was best not to get too far ahead of herself. "I will not name anything now, but I expect you to be available."
He nodded. "Of course."
Kali stepped back beside the shape-shifter and they left the room.
They shimmered into Phoebe's room. Kali sent a glare towards the demon when she heard steps outside the door. "Go back to the Underworld, now. I'll come get you when I am ready."
"Melinda?" Cole asked as he opened the door just as Kali set the photo down on the dresser. He smiled. "Aunt Piper made cookies. Would you like some?"
"Sure." She smiled brightly. She followed behind him towards the kitchen, her eyes flashing black for the briefest of seconds.
Everyone was sleeping as the potion made a tiny puff of smoke. She poured the lavender colored potion into a vial and turned to the pot next to it. The red potion was for her powers, the purple for her memory. She capped the vials and waved away the cauldrons.
She shimmered into the Shifter's cave with the vials pocketed in her jeans.
"Miranda." The girl announced as she took the potions. "I'm Miranda."
"Hello Miranda." She smiled. "It's a pleasure doing business with you."
Miranda gasped as the memories hit her like a brick. She shuddered nervously as she downed the purple liquid. Her chest glowed with a white light as the power of telekinesis and astro-projection entered her.
"Now, however, you are Prue Halliwell." Kali grinned. "Come, we must visit the Darklighter."
'Prue' nodded and let Kali shimmer her in the bustling cave. As soon as Kali formed the noise died down to a murmur.
"My liege." The Darklighter from earlier bowed gracefully.
"Up." Kali commanded. "All of you – except him –" she pointed towards the Darklighter, "out!"
The demons, terrified, orbed away.
"I need you to glamour her shimmer into the orbs of the dead Halliwells."
The Darklighter didn't dare ask why, but instead complied and ordered the 'shifter' to test it out.
'Prue' shimmered away, only for the shimmers to be glowing white orbs with wind chimes.
"Perfect." Kali said with a smile. "Come, Miranda."
She nodded and they orbed and shimmered up to the Halliwell attic. Kali took the Book of Shadows in her hands and dropped it loudly against the floor.
Prue glared. "What am I supposed to do?" She asked as she heard the footsteps.
Kali shrugged. "You're the one with the memories." She winked and shimmered away.
Piper slammed open the attic door, her hands tensed in a defensive position. She gasped and stared at the dark hair woman in the attic.
"Prue?"
Prue smirked. "Surprised to see me?"
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Author's note: So what do you think? What will happen now?
Reviews are much appreciated. Please?
Review thanks to: LeftWriter224
Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell & That70sShowLova