NOTE: Part 9 of 23, in the Chronicle Series.

DISCLAIMER: As usual, none of these characters are mine. This story is written for the enjoyment of the Internet reader. Print it out if you like, but please don't reproduce it or post it on your site without notifying me first.

Prue ran down the field dodging the several of the opposing team's players. The score was tied and very little time was left in the period. The goalie was following her movements, but fell down. Prue took her cue and kicked it toward the goal. The kick was good and straight. Then from the left side another player tried to block it. With seconds left on the clock, Prue tilted her head, squinted and the ball when around the other player and into the goal. The crowd went wild! Her teammates picked Prue up though she didn't seem to enjoy the celebration. In the stands she could she that her Mother was NOT applauding.

Ten-year-old Prue Freeby was sitting in front of her parents in her room at Halliwell Manor. It was full of soccer mementos and trophies and three-dimensional posters of her favorite musical groups.

"Prudence, you know that that was cheating. You can't use your power for personal gain. You know that, don't you?" asked Phoebe angrily.

"Yes, but.." said Prue.

"And I WAS so proud of you until your Mother told me. You can't use your magic unfairly against regular people. It's just not a fair advantage." said Mark.

"I'm sorry, I just got carried away. The game was almost over and.." said Prue.

"And that's NO excuse, Prue. You're the most powerful of your sisters. You have got to be careful. Not only is it not fair, but also you don't want others to be finding out. Being a witch has got to be a very private thing. I understand what you're going through." said Phoebe

"No Mom. You don't. You were only an active witch for a couple of years. Your powers never developed as far as the three of us." said Prue

"I know sweetheart. But you have to be careful of others who will either be afraid of you or try to exploit you. You have a great many gifts and you have to use them sparingly and wisely." said Phoebe.

"Yes, Mother I will try. I am sorry about the goal. Next time I will do it on my own," said Prue.

"That's my girl," said Mark.

"Fine. Get ready for supper. Love ya." said Phoebe.

"Same here, Mom." said Prue.

Downstairs in the kitchen Mark and Phoebe started a quick meal.

"So do you think she understands?" said Mark.

"She has understood for a LONG time. It's just the temptation. Patty and Pippy's powers are not quite as varied or powerful as Prue's. Unfortunately she has all of my sister Prue's powers and my temperament when I was that age. That a lot to deal with when you're only ten years old. And there is a lot of temptation there." said Phoebe.

"Yesterday, Patty came in, I said 'Hi, Patty.' and she turned into Prue!" said a startled Mark.

"Morphing? My lord! Telekinesis, psychokinesis, blinking, projecting, and now morphing! That is one powerful little witch. Oh, Prue. Mark, she is just so talented!" said Phoebe proudly.

"And I assume so much more at risk. With all that power other things will be coming at her all the time. I'm use to Patty's time tricks and Pippy isn't too much trouble with her mind tricks." said Mark.

"Yea, but we can never surprise her anymore. She's so much more grownup than the others. Other people's knowledge kind of just robs off on her and she has completely lost her innocence. She can learn what others know just by being in their presence. It's strange seeing what I could have become. She's very responsible though, much more like my sister Prue. Patty's temperament is more like yours. Mellow and easy going. And they get along so well. They should have no problems protecting each other when they're older. The Charmed Ones seem safe enough." said Phoebe.

"I HOPE so." said Mark finishing setting the table.

"I'm surprised they didn't ground you for life." said Pippy coming into Prue room.

"NO, I just have to be more careful. You never know when demons are watching." said Prue. Her uniform flew off of her and some play clothes danced out of her drawer and dressed her.

"That is so cool!" said Patty. "It would be so much fun. You sure know how it handle your powers."

"You only do it to show off!" said Pippy.

"Maybe. But it's about all we can do without scaring others or having those silly consequences." said Prue.

"Reading minds is so cool too. All I can do is save things I spilled! And I don't usually do it fast enough!" lamented Patty.

"You'll get better, sis. You need to concentrate like me." said Prue as she blinked over to the closet to find the right shoes.

"Show off!" said Pippy.

Prue just smiled at her sister cutely.

In another realm, an evil creature watched with interest the antics of these three young witches.

"Power. They possess much power. And I can easily trick them into giving it to me. Underling, get me three wishes out of the cauldron." the evil one commanded.

"But master. You said we should only use them for the worst emergencies. That would leave but one left." the under-demon said confused.

"I will trade those wishes and trick them into giving me their powers. These children will prove no match for me. They've lived for so short of a time." he said shaking his head.

"And soon we will be the greatest demons in the netherworld." laughed his underling.

The next morning when Pippy was practicing her soccer skills, she found an old bottle. It looked like an old-fashioned wine bottle, but she sensed something strange. She pulled the cork and out came lovely pink smoke. The demon dressed as a genie in turban, harem pants and shoes that curled at the toes appeared.

"I am the genie of the bottle." he said. "Bless you for releasing me. I will grant you one wish. Anything you desire."

Pippy looked at him skeptically. "There aren't such things as genie!" she said.

"And some don't believe in witches either." he countered.

Pippy looked very closely at him and probed his mind. "You're no genie. You're name is Jadson and you're a demon!"

"UH, no I'm the genie of the bottle and.." he stuttered.

Pippy put her hands together and blue lightning started to fly between them. "Don't think I have no active power." she warned as they lightning started fling at the demon.

He looked very disgusted and disappeared.

Pippy stopped her fireworks and sent messages to her sisters warning about them phony wish granter.

Then she smiled to herself that she had stopped a demon on her own. She was definitely no ordinary ten-year-old.

Jadson decided to try the next sister, Prue. She had the greatest power and to nullify Pippy's warning he visited her late the previous evening.

Prue was outside sketching the trees. She really enjoyed interpreting the world around her. Backing up she almost tripped over the bottle. Looking at it inquisitively, she picked it up and opened it.

"I am the genie of the bottle." he said. "Bless you for releasing me. I will grant you one wish. Anything you desire."

Prue's eye's lit up. "A wish? I can have ANYTHING I want?" said Prue.

"Yes. I can give you great powers. Anything money, fame, love, live an adventure, erase a regret, be what you want to become..." he said,

"Regret, huh? I wish I never used my powers on that soccer goal." she said.

"No, wait!" he exclaimed as the timelines changed and Prue found herself in her room moping over having never made the goal.

"Darn it. My team only tied and we didn't make the championship. OH well. I do feel better about myself now." she admitted.

"I don't. I have one more chance. The time freezer shouldn't be a problem. She seems to want to do more with her powers." he chuckled.

Patty was always the most cheerful of her sisters. Being a triplet was fun. You always had someone your age to play with. But each of them was different enough that none of them got lost in the crowd. She was playing in her room when the bottle appeared behind her. Filled with curiosity she opened it.

"I am the genie of the bottle." He said. "Bless you for releasing me. I will grant you one wish. Anything you desire. Would you like to increase your powers? Would you like to be stronger than your sisters? I can arrange that. Just let me trade your powers and we can give you anything you like. Many powers are possible. Just ask you what get it." he said greedily.

"My life has been pretty good, but Mom lost hers years go," she said sympathizing with her mother.

"But, but you..." he stammered

"I wish Mom had the same powers she would have now if she had never lost them." said Patty.

"Noooo." said Jadson as so much power was removed from him and his underling that they both ceased to exist.

"Not a bad good deed." thought Patty.

Phoebe was down in the basement looking through her stuff from when she was a kid. "I have got to clean out this basement someday. It's just a junk yard."

Then a wind began to blow. It was strange since no windows were open.

"Whoa! Who's doing this? PRUE!" she called out to her most powerful daughter.

"Mom!" thought Pippy who ran from upstairs.

A brown wind completely encircled Phoebe. Phoebe yipped as she starting to be swirled around. Her head began to throb as the basement rotated before her. In about a minute it was all over and she collapsed on the pile of junk on the floor.

"Mom!" cried out Pippy.

But Phoebe didn't here her call. She heard Pippy think, "What demon has grabbed my mother?"

She thought back, "I'm all right Pippy. I don't know what it was. Hey, am I read your thoughts?" she looked at her puzzled.

Pippy came down the steps and looked strangely at her Mother.

"I'm only thinking right now. When did you get psychic?" Pippy asked.

"Just now. It seems my powers have returned! And you and I are linked! Prue, I'm so sorry." thought Phoebe.

"Hey, it's OK sharing your power with your Mom. I will just never put on over on you again." Pippy thought hugging her mom. Then Pippy broadcasted, "Prue and Patty. Come down here!"

"What is it?" they called out loud when they reached the basement.

"I'm reading your thoughts now," said Phoebe to her children. "And I probably have my premonitions back too."

"My wish worked!" said Patty.

"Wish?" said Phoebe out loud.

"Yes, a genie gave me a wish and I wanted you to be a witch again. Now you have the same powers you would have had if hadn't lost them. You have more powers than Pippy now!" said Patty.

"A wish. You know about the consequences of doing this," warned Phoebe.

"I know Mommy. That's why I gave you your power back. So you can help us bust demons!" said Patty.

"Oh, sweet heart. You have such a good heart! Thank you, from the bottom of my.. um.. mind." she said looked up at the ceiling sheepishly.

After the kids were in bed and she turned off the Entetendo unit, she took her husband's hand. "I never thought I be a witch again. I know I swore off all the magic, but it kind of crept back. And now I have my own children to worry about. I hope your not angry dear."

"I'm not," said Mark. "It was wonderful having three lovely witches. Now I have four. And the last one I love the best."

"I love you too. But you are going to have to get used to a forty year old witch who is not only rusty with her powers, but doesn't even know how far they go and what they do." said Phoebe. "I'm starting all over again."

"I'm sure Pippy will help you, my apprentice witch." said Mark.

"Yes, but I have six years more worth of power growth than she has. Who knows what direction they go in? AND I'll be like a lighthouse attracting demons. Phoebe's Back. Phoebe's Back. Phoebe's Back." she said turning around. Then she laughed and fell into her husband's arms.