Prequel III

(Julia-21, TK, Energy balls; Kelly-20, Levitation, Thought control, Drawings come to life; Lauren-19, Orb, sense, heal; Emily-19, Fear-reality; Amanda-18, Empathy, psychokinesis; Vicki-17, Flying, shimmer, shrinking; Karoline-16 Premonition/projection, freeze/blow up; Larissa-15, Invisibility, illusion; Lindsay-14, restoration, time manipulation; Kathryn-14, pyrokinesis, orbing, astral projection.)

Kelly: You have to hit it harder Kathryn. Slam it out!
Kelly and Kathryn sat in the library room. They were both holding guitars, Kathryn�s a bass and Kelly�s a regular guitar. Karoline was also holding a guitar, and Amanda sat at a drum set in the corner. Vicki stood at a keyboard. Several amps lined the wall, and there was soundproofing around the doors. Currently the library room was where Julia, Lauren, Amanda, and Vicki slept. It was very large room, which is why everyone always went in there to practice instruments. There was a sole microphone on a stand in the middle of the room. Julia, the usual singer, was busy and wasn�t there to sing so Kelly was subbing for her. 
Kathryn: Like this? *Timidly plays note*
Kelly: No! Attack it! Play with intensity!
Kathryn slams the string down as hard as possible.
Kelly: Yeah! There you go! Now let�s start this song over.
Vicki: Yay! I get another shot at my solo! I sorta bombed it the first time.
Amanda: Sort of? You completely destroyed it!
Vicki: Yeah, yeah, yeah�
	They play the song over, and this time Vicki nails the keyboard solo. Kathryn slams every note, and everyone plays their parts perfectly. Still, it feels empty.
Karoline: I think it sounds like something is missing.
Vicki: Yeah, definitely.
Kelly: Well I�m not exactly Julia�
Amanda: Oh, no, the vocals were fine.
Vicki: Maybe it�s just�a little too short.
Kelly: But practically everyone has a solo. Vicki, Amanda, me, Julia, Karoline�that�s it! We need a bass solo!
Kathryn: Yeah! 
Karoline: Where?
Kelly: How about here. *points to music* Just before the end�it will make the ending stronger.
Amanda: All right, works for me!
Vicki: Wanna play it again to see how the extra solo works?
Karoline: Yeah, let�s go!
	They play the song again, this time with a bass solo right before the end. Amanda smashes the crash cymbal and the song is over.
Kathryn: Yeah! Power!
Karoline: Woohoo! Go us!
Kelly: We�ll have to tell Julia to put a bass solo in the next song she writes, instead of more insanely high vocal riffs-I can�t sing that high! She must be crazy.
	Prue and Piper walk into the room.
Piper: Can you please turn your amps down? Even with the soundproofing we can hear you from across the house. 
Kelly looks insulted.
Kelly: But don�t you like our music?
Prue: They are pretty good, Pipe.
Piper: Yeah, but it gets kind of repetitive after a while. Can�t you play something different?
Karoline: Sure Aunt Piper, I guess so�
	Everyone puts their guitars away. Kelly turns off the amps and moves the microphone into the corner. Vicki, Amanda, and Kelly leave the room. 
Karoline: Want to work on barisax duet?
Kathryn: Sure!
Karoline: Check it out-it�s our new song, Barisax Marmalade!
Kathryn: What happened to Clarinet Marmalade?
Karoline: Um�This is better.
Kathryn takes one look at the part: You�re right, this is much better! Let�s play!
	Karoline played a new-ish barisax�Prue had given it to her last year. Kathryn used Karoline�s old barisax, which was still fairly new and in good condition. One of the biggest expenses for the Halliwell family was music, mostly instruments. In addition to her barisax Karoline also played alto and flute, plus her guitar. Kathryn played baritone, trombone, tenor sax, and bass guitar. Lauren played alto and flute. Kelly played violin, cello, and guitar. Julia played the piano and sang; Amanda played the drums and sang. Vicki played trumpet and piano. Emily and Lindsay played flute, and Larissa played violin. The three who only played one instrument each were not nearly as obsessed with music as the rest of the family.
	Karoline and Kathryn play for about an hour, until Piper calls everyone down for dinner. The adults sit down at one table and the kids sit down at the other. 
Karoline: Jazz band tryouts are coming up soon!
Kathryn: Yeah, I know! I can�t wait!
Lindsay: Why are you so obsessed with jazz band?
Kathryn: Because!
Karoline: It�s jazz band.
Vicki: Yeah!!
Kathryn: Yeah, and now I�ll get to be in band with Karoline!!
Prue, from adult table: Have either of you given any thought as to what you�re going to play this year? Lindsay, you could play alto and be in jazz band even though you haven�t before�
Karoline: Didn�t think about it yet.
Kathryn: Not really�
Vicki: Trumpet, do I really have a choice?
Lindsay: Maybe I will, if you think I have a chance�
	After this, the conversation faded into random stuff. Later on, Prue saw Karoline sitting on her bed staring at the floor. She appeared to be deep in thought.
Prue: Hey Karoline�what�s on your mind?
Karoline: Jazz band. 
Prue: Instruments?
Karoline: Yeah. I really don�t know what to do. I don�t want to be against Kathryn, but I can�t force her to play alto or tenor. Can�t you talk to her?
Prue: I won�t intentionally discourage your sister from doing something she likes. I think you should talk to her.
Karoline: Darn�well�okay.
Later that night, Kathryn comes up to go to bed. Karoline is waiting for her. She opens her mouth to speak, but doesn�t know what to say.
Karoline: Um�can I talk to you?
Kathryn: Sure.
Karoline: Um�*long pause* I think�
Kathryn: What is it?
Karoline: It�s just�I�never mind�
Kathryn: Okay then�Well�night!
Karoline: Night Kathryn.
	They both go to bed. Karoline has strange nightmares about Kathryn playing better than her in the jazz band tryouts. When she wakes up in the morning she dismisses them as anxiety dreams. Little does she know they are really premonitions of the misery her life is about to become�
	Karoline�s POV
	The next week passed in a blur. I practiced my barisax for a few minutes each day. I had a lot of L.A. homework and not much time to spare, and I was the best player in the school anyway so I wouldn�t have much trouble getting in. In what seemed like no time, it was time for the tryouts. Kathryn and I sat nervously outside the band room door at school. Lindsay and Vicki had already done their tryouts, and they were sitting across the room.
Person in room: Next!
Kathryn: Good luck!
Karoline: Wha�oh�thanks!
I went into the room and played my tryout songs. The band director seemed to like them. Band Director: Next!
All I could do now was hope that my playing was good enough. As we found out the next day, it wasn�t�
Third Person
Prue: We got a phone call from the band director at school.
Kathryn: Really?
Lindsay: What did he say?
Vicki: Tell us!
Karoline: Now! 	
Prue: Vicki got first trumpet�
Vicki: Yay!
Prue: Lindsay, you�re second alto this year�
Lindsay: Yay! I got in!
Prue: *to self* Uh oh�Karo, Kathryn, come with me�
Karoline: Oh no�
Prue: Karoline�band director says he wants Kathryn to play bari this year.
Kathryn: YES!!
Karoline: NOOOOOOO!!!
	Kathryn runs off to skip jubilantly around the house. Karoline sinks into the nearest chair.
Prue: I�m sorry Karoline.
Karoline: I�I�It�s not fair! *is close to tears* How could she get in and not me?
Prue: It�s okay Karoline. You can still play second alto this year.
Karoline: That�s not the point! I�m older than her! I�m supposed to be better! She copied me when she decided to play barisax! I was always better! What happened?!?!?! *sobs quietly, tears run down face*
Prue: *quietly, words carefully chosen* I know what it�s like to have a younger sister be better than me at something, trust me. But this is pointless. Crying will not help anything, and neither will violence against your sister. You have to learn to accept that even though you�re older, you won�t always be better at everything like you have been in the past�I�m surprised it took this long for something like this to happen. 
Karoline: Okay mom�I�ll be in my room�
Karoline walks up to her bedroom, where she finds Kathryn lying on her bed and smiling, staring at the ceiling. Kathryn doesn�t notice Karoline�
Karoline: Good�good job at the jazz band tryouts.
Kathryn looks up. She is obviously surprised that Karoline is complimenting her instead of glaring or being spiteful. 
Kathryn: Thanks Karoline.
That night, as she lay in bed, Karoline vowed never to play barisax again. The next day she and Prue went to talk to the band director, who let her play soprano sax in jazz band.
Prue: See Karoline? Everything turned out okay.
Karoline: Yeah, I guess it did�*smiles, content with soprano*
Karoline and Prue get home. There is no school that day, so everyone is bored. All the adults and Julia go off to work, but since nobody else has a job they congregate in the living room. They goof off for a few minutes, and Karoline interrupts.
Karoline: I think there�s something wrong with my powers�.
Lauren, suddenly serious: Really? Why? Show us.
Karoline: Whatever I freeze gets a kind of greenish hue around it, and when I get premonitions they�re kind of fuzzy, and I feel groggy afterwards.
Emily: When did this start happening?
Karoline: A couple days ago, I think. It wasn�t after we battled a demon or anything. I just noticed something weird when I used my powers.
Lauren: That can�t be good. Show us�
Lauren throws the remote in the air. Karoline freezes it, and it is surrounded by a green apparition-looking thing.
Lauren: *gasp* Freaky!!
Karoline: I know! 
Kelly: Maybe you should just�not use your powers until the parents get home, you can ask them about it then.
Kat: Let�s go read the Book of Shadows, maybe it has some information.
Karoline: It�s better than nothing�let�s go.
Kat and Karoline walk up the stairs and start reading the Book. Soon they lose interest in looking for �Messed-up Powers� and instead start reading the karma spells.
Kat: Ooh, negative karma! And bad luck! We have to cast this on someone!!
Karoline: Oh, alright�who?
Kat: According to the checklist, we need to cast a spell on Lindsay.
Karoline: You keep a checklist? Of what?
Kat: Everyone I cast negative spells on.
Karoline: That explains all the checks next to my name�
Kat: Aw, come on. There aren�t that many of them. Look! Lauren has more than you!
Karoline: Yeah, like one more. Makes such a difference�
Kat: Let�s cast the spell!! 
They both recite the spell, Karoline covering her head with her hands as if expecting something to come flying across the room, or explode. When nothing did, they went downstairs.
Karoline: We didn�t find anything about green apparitions when you use powers. 
Kat: Nope�oh well.
A few hours later, everyone is eating lunch. 
Lauren: Hey! You took the last turkey sandwich!!
Kat: *stuffing sandwich in mouth* Wha�oh�so?
Emily: Lauren always gets the last turkey sandwich�
Kat: *deviously* Not this time�
She grins evilly. Emily, who is sitting next to Lauren, moves her chair back from the table in anticipation.
Lauren: You�took�my�sandwich!!!!! Now you must pay!!!
Lauren takes her water glass and throws water at Kat.

Karoline: *looks admiringly at Lauren* Wow! I always wanted to throw water at Kat!
Lauren: Here�s your chance! Water fight!!!
Karoline throws her water at Kat. 
Kat: Hey! You�re supposed to be on my side! *Throws water at Karoline*
Kelly: Traitor!! *Throws water at Karoline, water misses and hits Emily*
Emily: How dare you?!
Soon, everyone is throwing water at someone else. Paige gets home on lunch break to find everyone in the kitchen soaking wet.
Paige: Order! ORDER! *everyone quiets down* What happened here?!
Kat: LAUREN STARTED IT!
Lauren: I DID NOT! IT WASN�T�YOU ATE MY SANDWICH!!
Everyone begins yelling again.
Paige: I SAID ORDER! EVERYONE SHUT UP! Karoline, what happened?
Karoline: Well, it all started when Kat ate the last turkey sandwich. *Tells story* �so that�s why everyone�s wet.
Paige: *sighs* Lauren, Lauren, Lauren�will you ever learn to control your temper? It�ll get you in real trouble one of these days�Lindsay, will you restore this wood floor? It will be ruined from all the water.
Lindsay: Sure�
Lindsay kneels down and holds her hands over the floor. Some of it restores, but the rest is turned bright green. 
Paige: Oh�no�
Karoline: What?! I thought I was the only one with messed-up powers.
Lindsay: *looks fearfully at hands* Apparently not.
Paige: How long has that been happening?
Lindsay: This is the first time for me. But Karoline says she�s been doing it for a few days.
Paige: This is not good.
Karoline: You know what it is?
Paige: Yeah, sort of. It�s like a magic virus that attacks your powers and eventually devours you. It�s a curse, created by an ancient demon and spread through spells. It feeds on peoples� greed. That�s also how some people catch it in the first place. Not much is known about what happens after it devours your powers, because nobody has lived to tell us about it.
Lauren: What�s the cure?
Paige: There is no known cure.
Lauren: That helps a lot�
Paige: I�d better call the rest of the parents�maybe together we can think of a solution.
Karoline: Okay, we�ll go put dry clothes on�
Soon, everyone is assembled in the living room. Piper and Leo are trying to comfort Lindsay, who is almost hysterical.
Piper: It�s going to be okay.
Leo: Don�t worry. *under breath to Paige* Why�d you have to tell them so much about the curse? Wouldn�t �it�s bad� be enough?
Paige: No! Besides, there must be some way to cure it. Right?
Leo: No, that�s the problem. *To everyone* The elders told me about the curse once. It was created by the old Demon of Greed. It�s attracted to greed, and feeds on it, so that�s how some people get it. Others get it when cursed people cast spells on them, any spell will do it. Eventually the curse devours the person from the inside. It starts with your powers. If they�re not strong enough to fight off the curse, (it�s kind of like your immune system) it starts destroying them little by little. Then it kills you. So far, nobody has found a cure.
Prue: The good news is Karoline�s been having power surges lately. Her powers have been growing rapidly, and they�re probably strong enough to fight it off, you shouldn�t worry.
Piper: The bad news is, Lindsay�s been in a slump. Her powers haven�t grown in a while, and are most likely not strong enough to destroy the curse.
Lindsay: So�I�m going to die?
Piper: No�it�s�we�re going to find a way to get rid of it. Right now. Anyone have an idea?
Cole: The old Demon of Greed was a spirit demon, meaning he was dead�If that�s any help to anyone�
Vicki: Well, if he was dead, he had to enter the realm of the living at some point.
Amanda: Maybe during a kind of �security breach,� if someone moved whatever it was that was blocking the portals between the realms.
Kat: Cool, this reminds me of a video game, Gauntlet Legends, when this mage released a big monster named Skorne, but Skorne was too strong for him to control, and Skorne ate him and took over the world, and then�
Phoebe: Kathryn! That�s really not helping! I think they�re onto something.
Karoline: No, I think it is helping. Maybe that happened in real life. Maybe someone unblocked the portals and let demons out. One of them could have been the Demon of Greed, and he cursed the person who opened the portals in the first place. Makes sense, because the portal-opener would have to have been greedy. Why else would he let a bunch of demons out?
Emily: If we could only go back and block the portals�the disease never would have spread to Lindsay in the first place�
Julia: That�s it! We�ll go back in time, and re-block the portals!
Kelly: That  could be risky. No powers in the past, remember? If we have to block the portals with something heavy like boulders, we won�t be able to orb them. And if a demon attacks�
Kat: All we need to move boulders are some strong ropes and a few people to pull on them. That�s not the problem. It�s the guy who released the demons I�m worried about.
Larissa: And how will we get back to the present? No powers means we�d be stuck there.
Paige: We can summon you back here after a certain time. How long do you think this will take?
Lauren: Impossible to tell.
Amanda: No�maybe not. There�s a good chance one of the other demons that escaped from the portal has influenced our lives in some way. Just look for something to suddenly change. Then summon us back.
Paige: Okay, makes sense to me�Are you sure you want to do this?
Kat: Death�s certain�Small chance of success�what are we waiting for?!
Every other non-adult: Yeah! Exactly! Let�s go!
Piper: Okay then. Y�all go over there and make up a spell to go back in time.
The adults huddle up on one side of the room, and the kids go to the other.
Andy: Is this really a good idea?
Steve: Can�t we use our Parental Influence to stop them from going?
Leo: We don�t seem to have a �parental influence� anymore.
Cole: And they have as much power as we do, if not more.
Phoebe: Guys, it�s time we let them do something on their own. Julia�s a good leader (aka she can control Kat-not even I can do  that), and they�ll be fine.
On the other side of the room�
Julia: Lauren and I will chase after the demon and get him back through the portal. Everyone else can put boulders on top of the portals.
Everyone else: Okay! 
Karoline holds up a piece of paper with lots of writing and scribbles on it.
Karoline: Got the spell!
Everyone: Alright, let�s do it!
Karoline: Remember, y�all have to summon us back once you see something change. If the past is anything like I think it�ll be, we won�t want to stay there long.


Ha ha ha, it's cliffhanger-ish! I'll have more soon