Be He Far Or Be He Near, Bring Us the Demon Balthazor Here
Sixteen-year-old Pearl Harper chose to ignore the voice, concentrating her attention on the episode of Charmed that was currently occupying her television.
"Obsessed." another soft voice whispered, this one coming from her left.
Pearl sighed heavily. She quickly delivered quick, soft slaps upside the head to both of her cousins. then she promptly fixed Jeanne McJohnson with a glare, then turned her line of sight on Jeanne's twin, Andrea before returning to Charmed.
"I tell you, she's obsessed." Jeanne rolled her eyes while twirling a piece of strawberry-blonde hair around her finger, "Pearl, haven't you seen this episode already?" she whined.
"At least ten times?" Andrea piped up.
Pearl paused the video and shot a withering glance at her cousin, "Twelve, thank you very much." Rolling her blue eyes, she unpaused the movie, grumbling, "I don't understand why you guys don't like it."
"Because you more than make up for the lack of our interest." Andrea said helpfully.
"Shut up." Pearl muttered, "Cole's about to come in."
"Ooh, Cole!" Andrea imitated a high-pitched version of Pearl's voice, "He's so dreamy! And hot! And just...so...so..."
"Andrea Dana McJohnson, shut up before I make you." Pearl said, her voice rising.
"Better do what she says, Andy." Jeanne said in a stage whisper, "You don't want her to summon up" - she make quote signs with her fingers - "the big, bad Balthazor, now do you?"
"Jeanne, you be quiet too." Pearl added.
Jeanne rolled her eyes, but stopped talking. She knew her cousin well enough to tell when she should shut up.
"Magic forces, black and white, reach out through space and light..." Piper Halliwell, on-screen was chanting.
"What are you doing still up?" a voice demanded.
"Mom!" Pearl jumped nervously.
"Aunt Maria!" Jeanne and Andrea yelped.
"Kids, it's three in the morning, what are you still doing up?" Maria Harper asked, stifling a yawn, "Go to bed, already!"
"But Mom!" Pearl protested, "It's a sleep-over."
"No it's not." Maria said sternly, raking a hand through her long, dark hair, "Andy and Jeanne are here because their parent's are away on business. Not for a sleepover. And you have school tomorrow, go to bed."
"Yes, Mom." Pearl said sullenly. Satisfied, Maria went upstairs, to go back to bed.
"Yes! No more Charmed!" Andrea sang happily, doing a jig.
"Quiet, you." Pearl snapped, turning off the TV and the VCR
"Or what?" Andrea taunted, tugging playfully on a strand of Pearl's long, dark brown hair. Pearl swatted her hand away and glowered at her.
"I told ya, Andy." Jeanne smirked, "She'll 'call' Balthozar."
"Magic forces," Pearl began in a sing-song voice. The other two rolled their eyes and joined in. They had heard the chant to "call Balthazor" enough out of their cousin.
Reaching out through space and light,
Be he far or be he near,
Bring us the demon Balthazor, here!"
>Finishing, there was a great
flash of light and a strong gust of wind.
"What the hell?" Andrea yelped, holding her strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes as she squinted. The wind whipped around the room, causing books to fall, but they landed noiselessly.
"Oh my God!" Jeanne yelped, diving behind a chair. Andrea followed her twin's lead and ducked down.
"Pearl!" they yepled, lookign around for her.
Suddenly, as soon as they had come up, the wind and the light died down to reveal Pearl standing in the middle of the room.
Her eyes were wide and her jaw slack, open in shock at the person before her.
"This...is...different..."
One sentence made it's way into Pearl's shocked brain, Cole Turner is in my living room!
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