Information Exchange Part 1
Comments: I apologize for the past version that was unformatted; I didn't realize it would look like that. So, I'm now posting a reformatted version. And thanks for the comments. Please keep commenting.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Piper asked as she drove.
"Well, this is the address Sasha gave me for the shop. You remember Sasha, don't you?" Paige responded.
"Vaguely, she was one of the witches who helped us beat Gabriel when he was possessed, right?" Piper asked.
"Yeah. She told me great things about this shop, so I thought I'd take a look at it. By the way, thanks a lot for coming with me. I know you could be doing other things."
"Don't mention it," Piper said, "Phoebe and I want to make sure you understand you are still important in our lives. We may be pregnant, but that doesn't mean we don't want to be a part of your life. And besides, if this shop is half as good as Sasha told you it was, it'll be worth it."
"Hey, where is Phoebe anyway?" Paige asked curiously. "She ducked out so fast this morning I didn't get a chance to talk to her."
Piper sighed, and said, "She's having lunch with Cole right now."
Paige looked over at Piper, and asked, "Do you think that's wise?"
"Well, Cole's good now." Piper said.
"We've thought that before, and Cole wound up being the Source." Paige pointed out.
"Yeah, but that time we didn't have it on the word of the Guardians. Cole is a witch now, and he seems to have adjusted well. At least, he adjusted well once he got an active power."
Paige snorted as she remembered Cole's reaction when he gained the power of deflection. The relief had been so obvious on his face Paige had barely kept from laughing. "Yeah, I guess someone who was used to being an active and powerful demon for close to a century would have a problem dealing with life without an active power. Still, I don't know about this."
"Look, they aren't getting married. Cole has already moved back into his penthouse, he's taken his job back at the firm with some semi-plausible story for his absence, and he and Phoebe have signed an agreement granting joint custody of Gabriel. This is just lunch. Cole and Phoebe need to explore their feelings for each other, and find out where they stand." Piper remarked.
"Whatever, just do me a favor. Pinch me hard if I ever seem to be falling for a guy as badly as Phoebe did for Cole." Paige said. She then pointed to someplace over to her right and said, "There it is. Let's park." Piper looked over, and sure enough there was a sign that said, "The Magic Shop". Piper located a nice spot, and then she and Paige headed into the shop.
As they entered, Piper and Paige were immediately confronted by a vast assortment of magic tricks. There were trick decks, as well as an assortment of hats. Everything around them was sleight of hand, and in fact the man at the desk was explaining a trick to a teenage boy. Finally, the boy nodded and left the shop, and the man turned to them and asked, "Can I help you?"
As Paige made eye contact with the man, she suddenly had trouble breathing. He wasn't the nicest looking guy she had ever seen; in fact, he had a skinny frame and slight stoop of the shoulders that suggested a scholar. No, it was his eyes that drew her in. They were the deepest green she had ever seen, and they seemed to exude a presence, a sense of quiet confidence that could rarely be found in any man.
Piper waited for a few seconds for Paige to say something, then she poked her in annoyance and said, "Paige."
Paige jumped, and said, "Oh yeah. Hi, um, I think we're in the wrong store. This wasn't what we were looking for."
The man walked over to them, and Paige could almost feel the curiosity in his eyes as he asked, "Oh, well we do carry an assortment of items. What are you looking for, maybe we carry it in the back?"
"Well, um, I don't think so. I'm sorry to interrupt your day." Paige stammered.
"Not at all," the man continued pleasantly, "Out of curiosity, what kind of shop did you think this was?"
Paige hesitated for a second, and then said quietly, "Um, a shop that carried potions and stuff, you know, real magic?" When the man looked skeptical, she added, "You see, I know someone named Sasha, and she."
"Wait, you know Sasha?" the man interrupted. He smiled, and said, "Just a second." Paige and Piper watched as he walked to the door, locked it, and then flipped the sign to Closed. He then turned back to the two sisters and said, "If you'll please follow me."
As Paige and Piper fell in behind him, the man walked them into the back, and then down some stairs. When they got to the bottom, he pointed to a door at the end of the hall and said, "Right in there is what you need. Follow me." The man walked over, opened the door, and said, "Ladies first." To Paige's embarrassment, she felt a blush come on. Piper hid a smile as she said, "Thanks." And walked in. Paige followed quickly.
The room inside was as different from the front as night was to day. All around the room were shelves that had dozens, if not hundreds of herbs, all carefully bottled and catalogued. Various amulets, crystals, and objects were carefully placed around the room. The man looked at them, and said, "This is the true purpose of the Magic Shop, but most people never see this. The front is just a façade; I have to appear to have a legitimate business, or too many people start asking questions. They don't seem to understand that I'm not trying to make money. By the way, my name is Michael. I'm the owner and operator of this store. Now then, before we begin, I will need some basic information about you."
"What for?" Piper asked suspiciously.
"For my records, of course," Michael said. "I keep excellent records on all my clients, so that I can anticipate their needs and try and plan my inventory accordingly. Now then, what are your names?"
"Piper and Paige Halliwell," Paige said.
Michael made a notation, and then said, "I see. Now, what is your magic type?"
Piper hesitated for a second, but when Michael looked up at her, she said, "We're witches."
Michael nodded, and made a mark, he then asked, "Do you by any chance have another sister?" When they both nodded, he smiled and said, "Then you must be the illustrious Charmed Ones I've heard so much about. You have made quite a reputation in the magical world. Of course," Michael continued, looking at Paige, "it doesn't do you justice." As Paige's blush deepened, Piper's smile widened, and she barely bit back a laugh. Michael turned back to his book, and asked, "What is the name of your sister?"
"Phoebe Halliwell."
"Alright. Now then, are there any other witches or magical beings that you want listed on your account? These beings would be able to shop for you and pick up any orders you place with me, but this is with the understanding that any misbehaving on their part will be your fault?"
Piper thought for a moment, and then said, "There's my husband, Leo Wyatt. He's a whitelighter. And then there's Cole Turner. He's a de.another witch."
The man looked down for a moment, and then asked, "Do you want your address listed?" He held up his hands before they said anything, "I assure you, I will not sell your address out. It is merely so I can send orders directly to your house if need be." When Piper looked at Paige, she said, "Well, Sasha did highly recommend this place." Piper nodded, and then said, "1329 Prescott St San Francisco CA 19408."
"Alright, if you'll wait for one moment," Michael said. He walked over to a counter, and pulled out five plastic cards. He then held his hands over them, and said a few words under his breath. The cards glowed for a few seconds, and Michael smiled. He brought them back over and said, "Now then, these cards are your only keys to this room and to the library. The shop is open from 6am to midnight, with me in the morning and a friend in the afternoon. The library is open 24 hours a day, and the only rule is no book can leave. Any questions?"
"Uh, where is the library?" Paige asked.
Michael's smile widened, and he smacked his forehead. "Of course, I always forget that part. Follow me." Michael led them to a door in the back, and then gestured to Paige, "Please, touch your key to the door, I want to make sure it works." Paige nodded, and did as she was asked. The door slid open noiselessly, and Piper and Paige gasped. Behind this door was row upon row of books. It went up at least 30 feet, and there must have been at least 6,000 books here. "Are these all books about magic?" Paige asked incredulously.
Michael nodded, and said, "Every book here is a proven and tested book that is the truth. We have no Harry Potter or Necronomicons here, as we in the business say. This is all true magic. In the back is a door that leads to the less accepted literature, the ones that haven't been proven to our satisfaction."
"You just said 'our'," Piper mentioned. "Who is in charge here?"
"Well, the library isn't actually in San Francisco. We are actually quite far from San Francisco. It is run by a group of ancient magical beings who believe any knowledge is worth sharing. You can come here anytime you want, but you cannot ever enter through teleportation. It has been shielded to prevent that. Well then, shall we get back to the shop?" Michael held out his arms, and the two sisters followed mutely. Michael was the last to leave, and he closed the door behind him. He walked over to the counter, and asked, "Now that we have concluded the tour, what do you need?"
Paige hesitated, and then said, "We're not sure, do you mind if we look around?"
"Not at all, take your time. I have many things I need to do, just ring the bell when you are done." Michael said, and then he walked out the door. Paige walked him leave, and then stared after him until Piper said, "Close your mouth."
Paige shook herself, and said, "I was just."
"Uh huh, right." Piper interrupted. "Come on, we might as well take a look around. Our herb cabinet was depleted from the last battle." As Piper and Paige looked around, they noticed that this shop had every herb they had ever heard of, and even more. Paige picked one up, and said, "Piper, look. This herb is listed in some of our spells, but it has been extinct for decades."
Piper looked at it, and said, "Alright, its official, I am very impressed. Paige, this place is great. We're coming here for all our supernatural needs. Come on, let's grab a cart."
"There are carts here?" Paige asked incredulously.
"I noticed them while you were checking out the shopkeep." Piper said mischievously.
"I was NOT." Paige began hotly.
"Relax, I'm only teasing. Now then, let's get started." The sisters began to wander around. They had only covered about a quarter of the store before the cart was completely full. "Piper, we can't afford all of this." Paige said sadly.
Piper looked down, and said, "I know, but nothing has price tags on it. We'll just grab everything, and prioritize at the checkout." About an hour and four full carts later, Piper and Paige were done. "Alright Michael, we're done." Michael walked in a few seconds later, and said, "My goodness, you are in much worse straights than I thought."
Paige looked down nervously, and said, "We didn't see a price tag on anything, but we know we can't afford all this."
"Oh, I'm sure we can work up some sort of arrangement." Michael said with an ostentatious leer. As Piper and Paige stared at him in shock, Michael burst out laughing, a laugh that was both warm and infectious. Soon, all of them were laughing. Michael shook his head and said to Paige, "You sounded like you needed that. I can't believe you thought I was serious."
"Well, what can we do?" Paige asked.
Michael's face became serious and he said, "I really did mean what I said about compensation. Because this is your first time, I'll make you a deal. I'll give you this stuff if you agree to meet me later. I like to get to know all my clients personally, and I would love to here your story. Deal?"
"Deal." Paige said.
"Great. How does tonight sound, around 7?" Michael asked.
"Um, sure." Paige said, nervously.
"Awesome. I'll pick you up, since I know your home address. See you then."
"Wait, what about our items?" Piper asked.
Michael looked at her curiously, and said, "What items?" When Piper and Paige looked down, they realized with shock that their carts were empty. "Everything you bought has already been marked down, bagged, and put in your car. I have very efficient help. I'll see you later Paige."
"Um, right." Paige said. She started to back out as Piper left, and then hit her back against the door knob. "OW! Um, talk to you later."
Paige then turned and walked out of the store. When she got up, Piper was waiting for her. Piper said nothing, but when she got close Piper reached over and pinched her. "Hey, what was that for?" Paige exclaimed.
"I think you know." Piper said with a mischievous smile. "He seemed nice."
"Hey, I am just meeting him to tell him my story, as per out agreement." Paige said defensively.
"Sure," Piper said. As they both got in the car and began to drive off, Paige turned to Piper and asked nervously, "So, what should I wear?"
TO BE CONTINUED.
(This part did not have any battles or demonic presence. If you are the kind of reader who wants constant action, then I am afraid you won't find it here. I am writing a series, not just a one shot, and that means plot. Anyone looking for lots of action won't find it in my stories. They are all written with reason, and there are no random fights. I encourage everyone to please READ AND COMMENT. Thank you.)
Comments: I apologize for the past version that was unformatted; I didn't realize it would look like that. So, I'm now posting a reformatted version. And thanks for the comments. Please keep commenting.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Piper asked as she drove.
"Well, this is the address Sasha gave me for the shop. You remember Sasha, don't you?" Paige responded.
"Vaguely, she was one of the witches who helped us beat Gabriel when he was possessed, right?" Piper asked.
"Yeah. She told me great things about this shop, so I thought I'd take a look at it. By the way, thanks a lot for coming with me. I know you could be doing other things."
"Don't mention it," Piper said, "Phoebe and I want to make sure you understand you are still important in our lives. We may be pregnant, but that doesn't mean we don't want to be a part of your life. And besides, if this shop is half as good as Sasha told you it was, it'll be worth it."
"Hey, where is Phoebe anyway?" Paige asked curiously. "She ducked out so fast this morning I didn't get a chance to talk to her."
Piper sighed, and said, "She's having lunch with Cole right now."
Paige looked over at Piper, and asked, "Do you think that's wise?"
"Well, Cole's good now." Piper said.
"We've thought that before, and Cole wound up being the Source." Paige pointed out.
"Yeah, but that time we didn't have it on the word of the Guardians. Cole is a witch now, and he seems to have adjusted well. At least, he adjusted well once he got an active power."
Paige snorted as she remembered Cole's reaction when he gained the power of deflection. The relief had been so obvious on his face Paige had barely kept from laughing. "Yeah, I guess someone who was used to being an active and powerful demon for close to a century would have a problem dealing with life without an active power. Still, I don't know about this."
"Look, they aren't getting married. Cole has already moved back into his penthouse, he's taken his job back at the firm with some semi-plausible story for his absence, and he and Phoebe have signed an agreement granting joint custody of Gabriel. This is just lunch. Cole and Phoebe need to explore their feelings for each other, and find out where they stand." Piper remarked.
"Whatever, just do me a favor. Pinch me hard if I ever seem to be falling for a guy as badly as Phoebe did for Cole." Paige said. She then pointed to someplace over to her right and said, "There it is. Let's park." Piper looked over, and sure enough there was a sign that said, "The Magic Shop". Piper located a nice spot, and then she and Paige headed into the shop.
As they entered, Piper and Paige were immediately confronted by a vast assortment of magic tricks. There were trick decks, as well as an assortment of hats. Everything around them was sleight of hand, and in fact the man at the desk was explaining a trick to a teenage boy. Finally, the boy nodded and left the shop, and the man turned to them and asked, "Can I help you?"
As Paige made eye contact with the man, she suddenly had trouble breathing. He wasn't the nicest looking guy she had ever seen; in fact, he had a skinny frame and slight stoop of the shoulders that suggested a scholar. No, it was his eyes that drew her in. They were the deepest green she had ever seen, and they seemed to exude a presence, a sense of quiet confidence that could rarely be found in any man.
Piper waited for a few seconds for Paige to say something, then she poked her in annoyance and said, "Paige."
Paige jumped, and said, "Oh yeah. Hi, um, I think we're in the wrong store. This wasn't what we were looking for."
The man walked over to them, and Paige could almost feel the curiosity in his eyes as he asked, "Oh, well we do carry an assortment of items. What are you looking for, maybe we carry it in the back?"
"Well, um, I don't think so. I'm sorry to interrupt your day." Paige stammered.
"Not at all," the man continued pleasantly, "Out of curiosity, what kind of shop did you think this was?"
Paige hesitated for a second, and then said quietly, "Um, a shop that carried potions and stuff, you know, real magic?" When the man looked skeptical, she added, "You see, I know someone named Sasha, and she."
"Wait, you know Sasha?" the man interrupted. He smiled, and said, "Just a second." Paige and Piper watched as he walked to the door, locked it, and then flipped the sign to Closed. He then turned back to the two sisters and said, "If you'll please follow me."
As Paige and Piper fell in behind him, the man walked them into the back, and then down some stairs. When they got to the bottom, he pointed to a door at the end of the hall and said, "Right in there is what you need. Follow me." The man walked over, opened the door, and said, "Ladies first." To Paige's embarrassment, she felt a blush come on. Piper hid a smile as she said, "Thanks." And walked in. Paige followed quickly.
The room inside was as different from the front as night was to day. All around the room were shelves that had dozens, if not hundreds of herbs, all carefully bottled and catalogued. Various amulets, crystals, and objects were carefully placed around the room. The man looked at them, and said, "This is the true purpose of the Magic Shop, but most people never see this. The front is just a façade; I have to appear to have a legitimate business, or too many people start asking questions. They don't seem to understand that I'm not trying to make money. By the way, my name is Michael. I'm the owner and operator of this store. Now then, before we begin, I will need some basic information about you."
"What for?" Piper asked suspiciously.
"For my records, of course," Michael said. "I keep excellent records on all my clients, so that I can anticipate their needs and try and plan my inventory accordingly. Now then, what are your names?"
"Piper and Paige Halliwell," Paige said.
Michael made a notation, and then said, "I see. Now, what is your magic type?"
Piper hesitated for a second, but when Michael looked up at her, she said, "We're witches."
Michael nodded, and made a mark, he then asked, "Do you by any chance have another sister?" When they both nodded, he smiled and said, "Then you must be the illustrious Charmed Ones I've heard so much about. You have made quite a reputation in the magical world. Of course," Michael continued, looking at Paige, "it doesn't do you justice." As Paige's blush deepened, Piper's smile widened, and she barely bit back a laugh. Michael turned back to his book, and asked, "What is the name of your sister?"
"Phoebe Halliwell."
"Alright. Now then, are there any other witches or magical beings that you want listed on your account? These beings would be able to shop for you and pick up any orders you place with me, but this is with the understanding that any misbehaving on their part will be your fault?"
Piper thought for a moment, and then said, "There's my husband, Leo Wyatt. He's a whitelighter. And then there's Cole Turner. He's a de.another witch."
The man looked down for a moment, and then asked, "Do you want your address listed?" He held up his hands before they said anything, "I assure you, I will not sell your address out. It is merely so I can send orders directly to your house if need be." When Piper looked at Paige, she said, "Well, Sasha did highly recommend this place." Piper nodded, and then said, "1329 Prescott St San Francisco CA 19408."
"Alright, if you'll wait for one moment," Michael said. He walked over to a counter, and pulled out five plastic cards. He then held his hands over them, and said a few words under his breath. The cards glowed for a few seconds, and Michael smiled. He brought them back over and said, "Now then, these cards are your only keys to this room and to the library. The shop is open from 6am to midnight, with me in the morning and a friend in the afternoon. The library is open 24 hours a day, and the only rule is no book can leave. Any questions?"
"Uh, where is the library?" Paige asked.
Michael's smile widened, and he smacked his forehead. "Of course, I always forget that part. Follow me." Michael led them to a door in the back, and then gestured to Paige, "Please, touch your key to the door, I want to make sure it works." Paige nodded, and did as she was asked. The door slid open noiselessly, and Piper and Paige gasped. Behind this door was row upon row of books. It went up at least 30 feet, and there must have been at least 6,000 books here. "Are these all books about magic?" Paige asked incredulously.
Michael nodded, and said, "Every book here is a proven and tested book that is the truth. We have no Harry Potter or Necronomicons here, as we in the business say. This is all true magic. In the back is a door that leads to the less accepted literature, the ones that haven't been proven to our satisfaction."
"You just said 'our'," Piper mentioned. "Who is in charge here?"
"Well, the library isn't actually in San Francisco. We are actually quite far from San Francisco. It is run by a group of ancient magical beings who believe any knowledge is worth sharing. You can come here anytime you want, but you cannot ever enter through teleportation. It has been shielded to prevent that. Well then, shall we get back to the shop?" Michael held out his arms, and the two sisters followed mutely. Michael was the last to leave, and he closed the door behind him. He walked over to the counter, and asked, "Now that we have concluded the tour, what do you need?"
Paige hesitated, and then said, "We're not sure, do you mind if we look around?"
"Not at all, take your time. I have many things I need to do, just ring the bell when you are done." Michael said, and then he walked out the door. Paige walked him leave, and then stared after him until Piper said, "Close your mouth."
Paige shook herself, and said, "I was just."
"Uh huh, right." Piper interrupted. "Come on, we might as well take a look around. Our herb cabinet was depleted from the last battle." As Piper and Paige looked around, they noticed that this shop had every herb they had ever heard of, and even more. Paige picked one up, and said, "Piper, look. This herb is listed in some of our spells, but it has been extinct for decades."
Piper looked at it, and said, "Alright, its official, I am very impressed. Paige, this place is great. We're coming here for all our supernatural needs. Come on, let's grab a cart."
"There are carts here?" Paige asked incredulously.
"I noticed them while you were checking out the shopkeep." Piper said mischievously.
"I was NOT." Paige began hotly.
"Relax, I'm only teasing. Now then, let's get started." The sisters began to wander around. They had only covered about a quarter of the store before the cart was completely full. "Piper, we can't afford all of this." Paige said sadly.
Piper looked down, and said, "I know, but nothing has price tags on it. We'll just grab everything, and prioritize at the checkout." About an hour and four full carts later, Piper and Paige were done. "Alright Michael, we're done." Michael walked in a few seconds later, and said, "My goodness, you are in much worse straights than I thought."
Paige looked down nervously, and said, "We didn't see a price tag on anything, but we know we can't afford all this."
"Oh, I'm sure we can work up some sort of arrangement." Michael said with an ostentatious leer. As Piper and Paige stared at him in shock, Michael burst out laughing, a laugh that was both warm and infectious. Soon, all of them were laughing. Michael shook his head and said to Paige, "You sounded like you needed that. I can't believe you thought I was serious."
"Well, what can we do?" Paige asked.
Michael's face became serious and he said, "I really did mean what I said about compensation. Because this is your first time, I'll make you a deal. I'll give you this stuff if you agree to meet me later. I like to get to know all my clients personally, and I would love to here your story. Deal?"
"Deal." Paige said.
"Great. How does tonight sound, around 7?" Michael asked.
"Um, sure." Paige said, nervously.
"Awesome. I'll pick you up, since I know your home address. See you then."
"Wait, what about our items?" Piper asked.
Michael looked at her curiously, and said, "What items?" When Piper and Paige looked down, they realized with shock that their carts were empty. "Everything you bought has already been marked down, bagged, and put in your car. I have very efficient help. I'll see you later Paige."
"Um, right." Paige said. She started to back out as Piper left, and then hit her back against the door knob. "OW! Um, talk to you later."
Paige then turned and walked out of the store. When she got up, Piper was waiting for her. Piper said nothing, but when she got close Piper reached over and pinched her. "Hey, what was that for?" Paige exclaimed.
"I think you know." Piper said with a mischievous smile. "He seemed nice."
"Hey, I am just meeting him to tell him my story, as per out agreement." Paige said defensively.
"Sure," Piper said. As they both got in the car and began to drive off, Paige turned to Piper and asked nervously, "So, what should I wear?"
TO BE CONTINUED.
(This part did not have any battles or demonic presence. If you are the kind of reader who wants constant action, then I am afraid you won't find it here. I am writing a series, not just a one shot, and that means plot. Anyone looking for lots of action won't find it in my stories. They are all written with reason, and there are no random fights. I encourage everyone to please READ AND COMMENT. Thank you.)