Charmed Kitsune
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NarutoxPhoebex Prue x Piper x ?
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''Normal Speech''
Inner Thoughts, Dialogue, or reading passages from books and scrolls
(Quick Notes and Messages or Echoes.)
(Dark over lapping echoes)
''Boss Summons, Demons, Dark beings speaking, Demonic/Angry characters Speaking as well as extremely Dark spells and Magic.''
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Story Start
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Prue turned the water to the shower on and stepped inside. Over the noise of the falling water she didn't hear the phone downstairs ring. The answering machine clicked on and Phoebe's voice filled the Foyer.
"Prue its Phoebe are you there? Pick up? Hello? Prue, I just had a premonition. You could be in trouble. Are you there? Prue, are you there?"
Barbas smoked into the Foyer in time to catch the message. His eyes flickered to the answering machine where the caller ID was shown. He waved his hand over it and 'SWA Properties' disappeared. Barbas slowly turned toward the stairs that would lead him to the eldest Charmed One.
Phoebe slammed the phone down and grabbed at her jacket and car keys. "Phoebe!" She called, desperate as she looked around to make sure no one else was around to witness the sight of magic. 'Out of a cloud of white flurries stepped Allison.
''You called me Phoebe?'' she asked.
''The mansion! Hurry!'' she said, grabbing onto the white lighter who got the message.
Barbas stepped through the closed door of the bathroom. Prue, her eyes closed against the water, didn't notice him as he waved his hand over her. He glanced at Prue thoughtfully. Prue slowly opened her eyes, shielding them with her hand. She immediately noticed the presence of Barbas and just as quickly deduced who he was. She gasped and jumped as far back away from him as the shower would allow.
"Your greatest fear is drowning. Thank you for making it so easy." The Demon of Fear took a step forward and closed his eyes expectantly.
The water in the shower began to rise quickly and Prue looked down at it in dismay.
Barbas saw the first signs of fear in Prue's widened eyes and she paled visibly. "That's right… Give me your fear."
Prue stepped through the water that filled the bottom of the shower to the door and tried to pull it open. She panicked when it didn't move and desperately hit the glass trying to force her way through it while the water rose quickly around her. As the water reached her shoulders she turned the water off in a vain attempt to stop it from rising. With the water still rising to her neck she turned back to the door and narrowed her eyes at it. No blast of telekinesis hit the door and she tried again receiving another failed attempt.
Barbas smiled and reveled in her growing fear. "You powers are frozen by your fear." He explained.
Prue, now struggling to keep her head above the water level, turned to the small shelves that held her shampoos and soaps. Knocking them off she grabbed the top shelf and tried to pull herself higher, only to slip and fall under the water completely.
''PRUE!'' Phoebe's panicked cry filled the house.
Barbas opened his eyes as the doorbell rang through the house. His eyes flashed in frustration. This was the second witch he was going to lose.
Prue finally relocated the shelves in the water and pulled herself back up just being able to push her head up the dissipating water.
Prue heard her name being called and she opened her mouth to scream for help. The water and shampoo mix stung her eyes as she tried to wipe it out. She heard the pounding against the bathroom door and Phoebe's voice. She was just able to catch a blurred sight of Barbas smoking out. At that moment the door gave open with Phoebe and Allison coming in.
Prue suddenly realized the water was completely gone and she leaned heavily against the side of the shower to catch her breath.
"You okay?" Allison asked, still scouring the area for anything to demonic only to find nothing.
Phoebe hastily tossed Prue a towel as Prue fumbled for something to say. "It was him. That monster that attacked the other witch.'' She admitted, fiercely rubbing the silent tears away from her eyes.
Naruto had arrived sometime after the Detectives but kept out of sight via invisibility. When they left he made his self-known. ''Where were you?'' the words immediately exploded from Phoebe's mouth. She was a bit excited, worried, and distressed all in own. She could have lost her sister and their guardian was nowhere in sight.
''I was questioning the Witch Zoe. I was hoping she have some clues on the demon we encountered. His name is Barbas, Demon of Fear and apparently he killed one of Zoe's male ancestors thirteen hundred years ago. All I know is he recognizes me from somewhere and that's dangerous.'' he clarified as Piper came down from the attic with the Book of Shadows.
"Wait, I thought you guys said there was nothing in here about releasing your fears…" Phoebe started, glancing back up at them.
Piper and Prue exchanged a look of confusion. "There isn't." Pruestated but followed Phoebe's pointing finger to the last line. Prue and Piper crowded around on either side of their younger sister.
"To let go of your fear, trust in the greatest of all powers." Phoebe read straight from the book.
"That wasn't there this morning." Prue explained.
Phoebe bit her lip slightly. "Well, maybe because all of the stress you've been under…"
"No, Phoebe, it wasn't there alright? It's in Mom's handwriting. I would have remembered it." Prue insisted a little more sharply than necessary.
"Okay, you two stop." Piper stepped in before a full-blown argument could erupt though she had a feeling Phoebe would have just dropped the subject this time. "Pheebs, is there anything else?" She asked.
Phoebe shook her head. spoke up. "The greatest of all powers? What is that?" She wondered. "Do you think it's the Power of Three?" Phoebe offered.
''It would have been stated if that was the case.'' Naruto disagreed. ''Either way I'm not letting any of you out of my sight without at least a clone.''
''Well at least go somewhere where there's more people. It'll be safer.'' Phoebe and Piper exchanged looks of concern.
"Uh, maybe you should get dressed and go to Bucklands." Phoebe suggested, carefully closing the Book of Shadows.
"No, I don't really think I'm up to that." Prue argued softly with a slight shake of her head.
"Phoebe is right. You're going to Bucklands unless you want to come with me and sit at the restaurant." Piper decided, leaving no room for argument.
"Ugh… I really don't want to go to Bucklands." Prue lamented.
''But they're right. Fear is closely tied to loneliness and isolation. Most magical beings won't break the shroud of secrecy lest they seek reprise. I'm going to take one last good look around the mansion. Apparently my traps are insufficient against manifestations.'' he said, leaving the room.
"So you should go. Now stay away from water, any water, don't even drink it." Phoebe ordered.
"Don't worry." Prue agreed, absentmindedly running her fingers through a stretch of hair that had turned white during the incident with Barbas.
"I think it's getting darker." Phoebe offered cheerfully.
Prue smiled gratefully at her little sister. She couldn't tell if Phoebe was just saying it to make her feel better or not but either way it worked. "Thanks, I guess I'll go now." She decided, taking her time with walking out the attic door.
Phoebe watched her for a moment but as Prue reached the door she couldn't resist from calling after her. "I love you."
"Me too." Prue answered.
"How come you do that?" Phoebe asked, stopping Prue in her tracks.
Prue turned around to face her with a confused expression. "Do what?"
"You never say 'I love you' to me." Phoebe explained.
"I just did." She pointed out, her look of confusion deepening.
"No, you just said 'me too.' And you never say it to Piper either or probably even Naruto. Have you ever said 'I love you' to anybody?" Phoebe wondered curiously.
Prue hesitated a moment and avoided Phoebe's gaze before slowly meeting it again. "Yeah, I said it to Mom. It was the last thing I said to her before she died." She admitted softly.
Understanding clouded Phoebe's gaze and she immediately stepped forward and pulled her eldest sister into tight and comforting embrace.
At SWA Properties Phoebe sat at the desk, absentmindedly flipping through some papers. She glanced up when she heard the door open and a man walked in. "Hi, may I help you?" Phoebe asked professionally and cheerfully at the same time.
The man continued looking around him for several moments before turning to Phoebe. "Hi, I was looking for Susan." He explained.
"Oh, she's not here right now, but I can tell her you came by." Phoebe offered, reaching out for the notepad and a pen. "What's your name?"
"Richard Warner." He answered with a half-smile.
Phoebe froze, her eyes widening ever-so-slightly as she recognized his last name. "Oh, you're Susan's husband." Phoebe realized nervously.
He laughed softly. "Unless she's got one I don't know about." Richard joked.
Phoebe forced a laugh and carefully avoided his eyes. "No, no, you can't have another husband." She laughed awkwardly.
Richard nodded and again looked around the room as if he expected to see Susan around. "I thought I'd surprise her and take her to dinner. Do you know where she is?" He wondered.
"Yes… she… went out." Phoebe answered cryptically.
"Okay, well, I think we've established that." Richard chuckled softly. "Do you know where?" He clarified.
Phoebe played with her hands nervously trying to decide what she was going to say. "Uh, well, she… it's actually very interesting… she, uh…" Phoebe stammered before slamming her pen down on the desk in her frustration. "I can't do this." She decided, standing up from her seat.
"I don't understand." Richard admitted, watching Phoebe with eyes narrowed in curiosity.
Phoebe glanced up from gathering her stuff together. "I'm sorry, Mr. Warner, but I can't be the assistant your wife wants without compromising my beliefs and I just won't do that."
"Wait a minute, slow down." Richard suggested lightly.
"Don't worry about the office. I will lock up." Phoebe assured him as she picked up the pad and pen again this time to write a note to Susan about quitting. "Susan." She started, writing her name down on the pad. She was broken from her thoughts by Richard.
Richard had taken a step forward and there wasn't a hint of confusion in his eyes as would have been expected. "Thank you." He appreciated.
Phoebe stopped thinking about her note and glanced over at Richard in confusion. "For what?" She asked.
"For not lying to me about Susan's affair." He explained.
Phoebe sighed and looked at him sympathetically. "You knew?"
Richard shrugged and looked away from Phoebe. "I've tried denying it for some time now, but I guess there comes a time when you have to face the truth."
"I'm so sorry." Phoebe offered sadly.
"Don't be and listen, don't quit on my behalf." Richard pleaded.
Phoebe smiled gratefully but shook her head. "I'm not." She assured him. He smiled once more before turning away and leaving Phoebe alone in the office. Phoebe watched him leave as Naruto materialized and caused her to jump.
''Don't do that.'' she lightly tapped the sheepish clone on the arm. The phone began to ring but Naruto stopped her.
''Don't worry about it. You're quitting remember?'' he reminded her.
''Yeah but, '' she began as the blond created a clone.
''He'll get it.'' the shinobi assured her. ''Right now I want to do a bit more digging. I managed to contact some of the witches that Tanjella was going to meet for that event. Maybe we can learn some more information.
"SWA properties." The clone answered.
A woman's voice answered her on the other end of the phone. "Hello, may I speak to Susan?"
"Sorry but she's busy with business.'' the clone answered.
''You've always been a nuisance with overplayed wit.'' the voice became male. ''Still alive after all these years?''
''So you're Barbas the pathetic coward that preys on women when they're alone? How's it hanging limpy? Why don't you pick on someone that can defend themselves?''
''Gladly.'' the voice echoed behind Naruto causing him to turn.
A snarl escaped Naruto's lips as he charged forward and attacked only to phase right through the demon. ''Phoebe quick get out of…" he turned only to notice that Phoebe wasn't there. "Pheebs?" what the hell was going on.
''You fear losing control of yourself. You're afraid of not being strong enough to fight your darkness and putting everyone you care about in harm's way.''
''Get out of my head.'' Naruto hissed as he paused, took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind.
''You can't win. You've already lost several people. No matter how much power you gain, no matter how many allies you gain you can't save everyone. Isn't that what you once say? I wonder how much longer your precious people will love you when you can't protect them.''
Naruto shook his head. ''Your words don't mean anything to me. You want to pray on my fear, something I accepted as normal along time ago. You won't overrule me.''
''No but I can Uzumaki.''
Naruto turned, unable to react in time for the burst of energy that attacked him and rendered him stunned.
"You…how?" Naruto murmured as the near image copy smiled down at him with a cruel smile.
"The weaker one. He was rather easy to take over."
"Yami, you won't get away with this." Naruto snarled as he hopped up as he prepared to attack him.
"I already have."
In an instant Naruto felt it. One of the sacred treasures were going to be used on him. He had a few mere seconds so he could only do one thing. His fingers shot forward but the copy easily caught it before he could strike.
"Nice try…enjoy your new home in the Kohaku no Johei." And with that Naruto was sucked into the Amber Frying Pot.
Barbas merely looked on with curiosity. ''Well this is a very interesting turn of events. Looks like my attempt to get rid of him was unneeded after all."
Yami he turned to face Barbas. ''Oh, you're still here demon? You're right, you're weak little attempt was in fact unneeded, but luckily for you our goals coincide. You want his witches dead and I need a viable source of power for the sacrifices I need to create myself a body.''
''Go on...''
A voice was cutting through his consciousness. That's right, the Illusion. He supposed for now he would have to play alone until he was ready to set his plan in motion. Cancelling the Genjutsu he began talking to Phoebe. ''What happened? Are you okay? You blacked out for a moment.'' Phoebe told him.
''Sorry, must be a lack of sleep.'' the blond answered her as his demeanor changed. ''Anyway I just remembered something. I know where we need to go.'' he said as he roughly grabbed her wrist.
''Where? And could you ease up,'' she resisted against his pull slightly.
''Just a place outside of town. Don't worry, all of your problems will be taken care of.'' he assured her as Phoebe reluctantly followed along. She didn't know why Naruto started acting odd all of a sudden, but then again there was still a lot she didn't quite know about it. The ride over was quite silent and Phoebe followed him as they went to the back of a large and obviously expensive house. The place had a rather large yard and a pool. ''Are you sure this is the right place.
''Yes...I'm quite sure indeed.'' Naruto finished, his voice transforming from its usual tone into a darker overtone halfway through. ''I have to say...this went just as planned so far.''
Phoebe immediately turned away in an attempt to leave but Barbas grabbed her arm and tightly prevented her from running off. "Naruto! Please! Whatever is going on fight it!'' Phoebe pleaded, trying to hide the fear in her voice.
Barbas smiled, appearing as if he would not object to her plan. "Go ahead and give in, I could use the fix." He allowed. Barbas held her still long enough to wave his hand over her face.
"I know how you kill. There are no elevators around here." Phoebe snapped defiantly.
Barbas resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the 'far-off fear' of the third Halliwell sister. "Elevators? You think that's what your greatest fear is? You mortals need to look deeper." He scoffed. "Where the real truth lies, your greatest fear is losing a sister and I get two for one." he said as he turned to Yami. ''If you don't mind?''
''I'll handle Piper. I trust you're competent enough to get the eldest sister down here?'' Yami derisively remarked and left, not waiting for an answer. Tonight would be the night he would be free from his Hikari side permanently.