Chapter 44: Home for the holidays

Phoenix and Kaleb orbed into the living room of the Halliwell manor, greeted by Wyatt running out of the formal dinning room.

"Phoenix, Kaleb, watch out!" An energy ball went whizzing by, missing them by inches.

"Okay, I just got home and already a demon attacks?" Phoenix yells back, her hands in their ready positions.

"Um, no it was not a demon." Wyatt responded.

Phoenix put her hands down and looked at her older cousin skeptically. "What do you mean, it was not a demon? That energy ball must have come from somewhere and demons are the only creatures I know that have that type of power!" She looked over at Kaleb, who shrugged and smiled. "Is there something you guys are not telling me?"

A banging sound came from the formal dining area.

"Okay, so you are almost getting it! Remember, anger seems to be the trigger!" Phoenix heard her other cousin Chris say. "But it seems like the angrier and more frustrated you get, the energy balls grow, and your aim gets worse!"

"You know what! I'm done for the day!"

"No, Aunt Prue said you must practice for at least an hour, and you have thirty more minutes left."

"Chris, you are not my boss!"

"No, but I'm your older cousin."

"That still doesn't work. I'm through for the day. Help someone else!"

Phoenix looked over at Kaleb and Wyatt after hearing the argument. The two were still going at, but Phoenix couldn't help it.

"Did Katie get a new power?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah, around the same time you did." Wyatt answered, "I overheard Aunt Prue and Paige talk about it. I didn't hear what it was though." He explained, seeing the way Phoenix looked at him.

"What exactly is it?"

"What you just saw, she can create and use energy balls."

"Energy balls, but that is a demon's power."

Wyatt and Kaleb just shrugged.

'Does Kaleb know anything? Or had he always done that, and I just gotten used to it?'

"You should have been here though when she got it." Wyatt started.

"Yeah, she was not thrilled. She cried almost all the time, claiming she will turn into a demon and everyone should stay away from her, or she might blast us into smithereens." Kaleb finished.

"Really?"

"Uh huh, it took the Aunts, mom, and dad forever to convince her she wouldn't turn into a demon. Aunt Paige invited this guy Richard over to talk to her. I guess him and his family have the same power. Mom and Aunt Phoebe didn't seem too happy to see him, so he just stayed for a little while."

Phoenix nodded her head and looked back towards the dining area. She knew her sister's temper was just as bad as hers, and she didn't want to be caught in energy ball crossfire. Smirking to herself, Phoenix went invisible and headed towards her sister. Wyatt and Kaleb remained in the living room, dumbfounded. Now they know what new power she got, and what she was up to.

"Chris, I think Katie has had enough for today." Another voice said. Phoenix recognized it as her Aunt Piper's.

"Mom, I'm just helping."

"Well Chris, I didn't ask for your help."

"You didn't have to."

"And you're not my whitelighter! So stop acting like you are!" Katie yelled, an energy ball forming in her hands.

"Katie, watch your anger." Phoenix whispered in her ear. Between the two bickering, Phoenix passed everyone without a problem.

Katie looked over to her right, looking at her sister.

"When did you get here?" Katie asked, her anger relinquishing and her energy ball extinguishing.

"Oh, about two energy balls ago." Phoenix stated. "By the way, not too thrilled about getting my head blown off. I kinda like it where it is."

"Sorry, I was trying to hit that." Katie pointed to a punching bag with a target that looked like it was never hit.

"Um, I can see the progress."

"Thanks." Katie sarcastically remarked.

Chris and Piper starred at Katie. All they saw was Katie talking to herself.

"Chris, I think she finally lost it." Piper told her son.

"I agree."

"Don't tell your Aunt. Because I think you were the one who drove her mad."

Chris looked at his mother angrily, then back at his cousin. Wyatt and Kaleb came walking in, also giving Katie a weird look.

"Katie, when did you turn into a lunatic?" Kaleb asked, trying not to laugh.

"What do you mean?"

"Who are you talking to?" Wyatt asked, who was also trying not to laugh.

"What do you mean 'who am I talking to'? I'm talking to Phoenix!"

"She isn't in here." Piper said.

"Yes, she is right here!" Katie said, pointing at Phoenix.

"Katie, honey, I'm sorry, but your mother went to get her from school."

"Mom, I just saw Aunt Paige. She just orbed back to Magic School to check on a few things. Told me she would be back in a little bit. And why would Kaleb be here?" Chris said.

"And Phoenix is right here!" Katie stated, agitated.

Wyatt and Kaleb started busting up laughing. Katie, Piper and Chris looked at the two of them in confusion. Phoenix too couldn't help but laugh. Katie looked at her sister, and finally she realized.

"Your new power is invisibility, isn't it!" It was more of a statement than a question.

Phoenix turned herself visible. "Uh huh… and it was fun making you look like a crazy witch too!"

"Watch it, Phoenix you don't want me angry, remember?" Katie said, smiling an evil smile and forming an energy ball in her hand.

"Oh, you wouldn't do that to your own sister!" Phoenix dramatically said, placing her right hand on her forehead.

"Don't tempt me." Katie replied and extinguished the energy ball. "Wait, how is it I can see you when you are invisible, and they couldn't?"

"Er, I don't know, Aunt Piper?" The twins looked over at their Aunt who seemed to think their question through.

"Maybe it's because you are twins. We always thought your powers would work differently because of that."

The twins looked back at each other and shrugged. It could be possible.