FOUR
They have no idea what's going on," said Leo after orbing back
in. "Nothing like this has ever happened before."
"Something's going on," said Prue. "Phoebe's right. Demons
don't just pop in and ask to be vanquished."
"Let's ask Clarence," said Phoebe. "Let's find out why he wants
to be vanquished."
"Clarence?" questioned Leo.
"Yeah, we've named him Clarence," said Piper.
"Clarence the demon?" questioned Leo again.
"I know," said Piper. "Just doesn't instill fear like a demon
is supposed to do."
"Come on," said Prue. "Let's go have a little talk with
Clarence."
The four walked in the kitchen. The refrigerator door was open
and Clarence was bent over inside it. As they walked into the
kitchen, he straightened up. In one hand was an opened stick of
butter with a bite taken out of it. And there was butter smeared all
over Clarence's mouth.
"I hope you don't mind," said Clarence. "I got hungry. This is
very good."
"Would you like something to wash that down with?" asked Phoebe
sarcastically.
"No thanks," said Clarence, pulling an open bottle of cooking
oil out of the refrigerator. He took a drink from it. "I've found
something already. Do you eat this well all the time? Usually all I
get is slugs."
"You're eating butter," said Piper.
"Is that what it is?" asked Clarence. "It's the best thing I've
ever tasted."
"Clarence," said Prue, "you said you came here to get
vanquished?"
"Yeah," said Clarence. "I figured you three could do it right.
There's nothing like a botched vanquishing. So I figured the Charmed
ones could do it right."
"Why?" asked Piper.
"Why what?" asked Clarence.
"Why did you come here to get vanquished?" asked Piper.
"I just told you," said Clarence, "to make sure it was done
right."
"No," said Phoebe, "why come to get vanquished at all?"
"Oh," said Clarence. "Well, I figure it's going to happen
sooner or later. Why put it off? Just get it over with."
"Again, why?" asked Prue.
"You have any idea what it's like down there?" asked Clarence.
"The backbiting, the subterfuge, the vying for power. I'm just tired
of it. I'm real low level, like I said, so I don't really have any
chance for advancement. And since you three showed up, things have
gotten a lot worse. I figure eventually you'll come after us or I'll
be sent to distract you or something. So, if that's going to happen,
why wait?"
"So you came here to get vanquished because you're tired?" asked
Leo.
"Yeah, that's about the size of it," said Clarence.
They have no idea what's going on," said Leo after orbing back
in. "Nothing like this has ever happened before."
"Something's going on," said Prue. "Phoebe's right. Demons
don't just pop in and ask to be vanquished."
"Let's ask Clarence," said Phoebe. "Let's find out why he wants
to be vanquished."
"Clarence?" questioned Leo.
"Yeah, we've named him Clarence," said Piper.
"Clarence the demon?" questioned Leo again.
"I know," said Piper. "Just doesn't instill fear like a demon
is supposed to do."
"Come on," said Prue. "Let's go have a little talk with
Clarence."
The four walked in the kitchen. The refrigerator door was open
and Clarence was bent over inside it. As they walked into the
kitchen, he straightened up. In one hand was an opened stick of
butter with a bite taken out of it. And there was butter smeared all
over Clarence's mouth.
"I hope you don't mind," said Clarence. "I got hungry. This is
very good."
"Would you like something to wash that down with?" asked Phoebe
sarcastically.
"No thanks," said Clarence, pulling an open bottle of cooking
oil out of the refrigerator. He took a drink from it. "I've found
something already. Do you eat this well all the time? Usually all I
get is slugs."
"You're eating butter," said Piper.
"Is that what it is?" asked Clarence. "It's the best thing I've
ever tasted."
"Clarence," said Prue, "you said you came here to get
vanquished?"
"Yeah," said Clarence. "I figured you three could do it right.
There's nothing like a botched vanquishing. So I figured the Charmed
ones could do it right."
"Why?" asked Piper.
"Why what?" asked Clarence.
"Why did you come here to get vanquished?" asked Piper.
"I just told you," said Clarence, "to make sure it was done
right."
"No," said Phoebe, "why come to get vanquished at all?"
"Oh," said Clarence. "Well, I figure it's going to happen
sooner or later. Why put it off? Just get it over with."
"Again, why?" asked Prue.
"You have any idea what it's like down there?" asked Clarence.
"The backbiting, the subterfuge, the vying for power. I'm just tired
of it. I'm real low level, like I said, so I don't really have any
chance for advancement. And since you three showed up, things have
gotten a lot worse. I figure eventually you'll come after us or I'll
be sent to distract you or something. So, if that's going to happen,
why wait?"
"So you came here to get vanquished because you're tired?" asked
Leo.
"Yeah, that's about the size of it," said Clarence.
