FIVE
"That's just crazy," said Phoebe.
"Not if you've put up with it as long as I have," said Clarence.
"I just don't want to put up with it anymore."
"Surely there are other options to being vanquished," said
Piper.
"Like what?" asked Clarence. "Look at me, lady. I'm a demon.
It's not like I can walk into the nearest McDonalds and say I'd like
to apply for a job, you know."
"He's got a point," said Leo.
"And I can't go up there," said Clarence. "They wouldn't let me
to begin with. Even if they did, they wouldn't trust me. It would be
almost as bad as being down here."
"Why hot take a human form then give up your powers?" asked
Prue. "That would make you more or less human."
"Yeah, and more or less dead, too," said Clarence. "You know
that guy you hire to come in and vacuum your office and empty your
trash and things like that?"
"Yes," said Prue.
"I'm the guy who takes orders from him," said Clarence. "Take
away what little power I have and there's nothing left. Besides, I
don't have a human form. That's reserved for higher level demons."
"Well," said Piper, "we could bind your powers. You'd still
have them. You just wouldn't be able to use them."
"Oh, now there's a good idea," said Clarence sarcastically.
"Bind my powers so that any other demon who comes across me can
vanquish me without a fight. That's a real smart move, that is."
"Hey, we're trying to help here," said Phoebe.
"Well," said Clarence, "so far most of your ideas end up with me
being vanquished. Now you see why I came here. Just kind of cut out
the middle man so to speak."
"No offense," said Prue, "but you're just not enough of a threat
for us to vanquish."
"There's got to be something we can do," said Piper.
"He's a demon," said Leo. "You're not supposed to be helping
him."
"Leo, honey," said Piper, "he's more or less looking to change
sides. If he's serious, I don't think it would be right to vanquish
him just because he's a demon. He might be of some help to us."
"Right," said Phoebe. "Low level or not, he might know
something that can help. Assuming he's willing to tell us what he
knows."
"Oh sure, anything," said Clarence. "They're reorganizing down
there AGAIN. I'm supposed to go work for Malevant. Trust me, I'd
rather work for anyone else but him."
"He's pretty bad, huh?" asked Prue.
"You have no idea," said Clarence. "If I go to work for him,
I'll end up vanquished anyway. He's got kind of a temper."
"Well," said Phoebe, "I have an idea. But it involves Leo
finding a place for our little friend."
"What?" asked Leo. "You want me to help a demon? Phoebe, you
know I can't do that."
"Just hear me out," said Phoebe. "Just hear me out."
"That's just crazy," said Phoebe.
"Not if you've put up with it as long as I have," said Clarence.
"I just don't want to put up with it anymore."
"Surely there are other options to being vanquished," said
Piper.
"Like what?" asked Clarence. "Look at me, lady. I'm a demon.
It's not like I can walk into the nearest McDonalds and say I'd like
to apply for a job, you know."
"He's got a point," said Leo.
"And I can't go up there," said Clarence. "They wouldn't let me
to begin with. Even if they did, they wouldn't trust me. It would be
almost as bad as being down here."
"Why hot take a human form then give up your powers?" asked
Prue. "That would make you more or less human."
"Yeah, and more or less dead, too," said Clarence. "You know
that guy you hire to come in and vacuum your office and empty your
trash and things like that?"
"Yes," said Prue.
"I'm the guy who takes orders from him," said Clarence. "Take
away what little power I have and there's nothing left. Besides, I
don't have a human form. That's reserved for higher level demons."
"Well," said Piper, "we could bind your powers. You'd still
have them. You just wouldn't be able to use them."
"Oh, now there's a good idea," said Clarence sarcastically.
"Bind my powers so that any other demon who comes across me can
vanquish me without a fight. That's a real smart move, that is."
"Hey, we're trying to help here," said Phoebe.
"Well," said Clarence, "so far most of your ideas end up with me
being vanquished. Now you see why I came here. Just kind of cut out
the middle man so to speak."
"No offense," said Prue, "but you're just not enough of a threat
for us to vanquish."
"There's got to be something we can do," said Piper.
"He's a demon," said Leo. "You're not supposed to be helping
him."
"Leo, honey," said Piper, "he's more or less looking to change
sides. If he's serious, I don't think it would be right to vanquish
him just because he's a demon. He might be of some help to us."
"Right," said Phoebe. "Low level or not, he might know
something that can help. Assuming he's willing to tell us what he
knows."
"Oh sure, anything," said Clarence. "They're reorganizing down
there AGAIN. I'm supposed to go work for Malevant. Trust me, I'd
rather work for anyone else but him."
"He's pretty bad, huh?" asked Prue.
"You have no idea," said Clarence. "If I go to work for him,
I'll end up vanquished anyway. He's got kind of a temper."
"Well," said Phoebe, "I have an idea. But it involves Leo
finding a place for our little friend."
"What?" asked Leo. "You want me to help a demon? Phoebe, you
know I can't do that."
"Just hear me out," said Phoebe. "Just hear me out."
