June and Shelly both alternated looking at each other, and the transformed Vivian, who continued to quietly paint at the canvas she’d summoned while her friends thought over the implications of the situation.
After what felt like far too long, June broke the silence. “Well, I guess if Vivian’s powers are limited, there’s less risk of a total disaster from a literal or ‘misunderstood’ wish, like all the usual stories.”
Vivian sighed. Glancing over at her painting, Shelly could see that the girl Vivian was painting was frowning slightly.
“Come on, even if I DID have unlimited power, do you REALLY think I’d use it to hurt you? We’re friends, you should know better than that.” She opened her mouth again, as if she wanted to say more, but stopped herself. “I want to use my wish granting powers to make you both happy as long as I can. Especially Mistress Shelly.”
Another canvas popped into existence, this one depicting the three girls in a group hug, Vivian still in genie form.
“Three wishes just doesn’t seem like nearly enough, you know? Does it really have to stop there?”
Shelly tilted her head. “You mean, like going back in the lamp again after you become human again?”
“That had more steps than what I had in mind, but-”
“We really shouldn’t waste time.” June interrupted. “We might as well go through these wishes so we can get her back to normal.”
“So soon?” Vivian said. Glancing over at her painting, Shelly could see that Vivian’s image in the portrait was suddenly frowning slightly. “I told you, I’m actually enjoying this! It feels like I’m made of pure energy now!”
“Yes, but we’ve got a flight back home early tomorrow morning, remember?”
“So?” Vivian shrugged. “That’s a better reason for me to stay a genie! We can refund my ticket, and I can sneak on in the lamp as a carry-on item. It’ll save us some money.”
Shelly laughed, but June just buried her face in her hands.
“No. Just no. Besides, what if airport security wants to examine the lamp? Shelly, please, just make some wishes, and get Vivian back to normal.”
“I guess she has a point,” Shelly said. “Sorry Vivian.”
“Yes, Mistress Shelly.” Vivian pouted, but nodded in understanding. “I wish I had the freedom to stay like this a little longer.”
Shelly ran over the options in her head, trying to come up with wishes within the limits she had to work with.
“Oh, I’ve got one! I wish for a painting of a fantasy landscape, with a unicorn running across a field!”
Vivian perked up instantly. “As you wish, Mistress!” The two previous canvasses immediately vanished, a new one appearing from thin air. Vivian’s brush glided across the blank white surface, the colors of her brush changing at the genie’s thought, allowing her to paint a line straight from one side of the canvas to the other, forming hundreds of blades of grass, and flowers in a variety of colors, all in a single stroke. Shelly was wide-eyed as she watched, and even June looked impressed.
A soft, glowing sun and billowing clouds took shape in clear blue sky. Off in the distance, the lofty spires of a marble palace rose up, dwarfed only by a white-capped mountain behind it. Finally, in the foreground was a swift, elegant shape, like a horse, but with cloven hooves, a tail like a lion’s, and a spiraling, shimmering horn.
“All done, Mistress Shelly!” Vivian cheered, levitating the painting in front of her friends. “Is it what you were hoping for?”
“It’s gorgeous!” Shelly exclaimed, looking at what could have easily passed for a photo, were it not for the fantastic subject matter.
“I’m honored to serve, Mistress Shelly.” The painting began to lift up, magically suspending itself from the wall. “What is your second wish?”
“I’m not really sure…” Shelly said, stroking her chin.
June groaned. “Well, just wish her to bring you a glass of water, or something, so we can get this over with.”
“June, what’s eating at you?” Shelly asked. “Don’t you want to make the wishes count?”
“Not when they’re being granted by a friend. And I’m weirded out by how into it Vivian seems to be getting. I’m just saying, I don’t do fantasy, but I know how this genie stuff usually goes. And even if nothing's actually up with her, and it’s completely safe for her to grant our wishes, it’s not like she can cure cancer or anything like that. Why bother messing with this stuff for a few paintings?”
Shelly nodded. “I get you, June. But I trust Vivian.” She turned back to her genie. “What would YOU wish for, if you had a genie like you?”
Vivian grinned. “Personally, the first thing I’d do would be to focus on making sure I can get the most, and best, wishes possible.”
“I thought you said we couldn’t wish for more wishes.”
“That’s right,” Vivian nodded. “Though most minor genies don’t really have a wish limit. In my case though, I’ll be released from the lamp, and go back to being human once the third wish is granted, so that leads to a tricky situation. I guess you could let me get in the lamp again, but that’s not the most efficient way to do it when the lamp could see more use. But I’m getting sidetracked. If you’re not worried about all that right now, I guess the thing I’d most recommend is for incredible artistic talent in whatever medium you’d most like to work with, so you’ll be able do some stuff on your own when all is said and done. If not quite as magically as I can.”
“Alright then!” Shelly said. “I wish to be an expert painter!”
“As you wish, Mistress Shelly.”
Vivian floated in front of her mistress, and gently tapped her forehead with a single finger. Shelly gasped, nearly falling backward as countless images and techniques rushed into her mind at breakneck pace, in both her conscious memories and subconscious habits; methods of sketching, the anatomy of humans and other creatures, the spread of light and shadow, the mixing of colors, and even the subtleties of holding a brush or a pencil.
Shelly took a few deep breaths, placing a hand to her forehead as she slowly began to mentally sort everything out. Every breath she took seemed to take an eternity, but eventually, time began to feel normal again. She felt June’s hand on her shoulder.
“Shelly? Are you okay?”
Shelly nodded slowly. “Yeah… Yeah I think I am.”
“Told you,” Vivian huffed, before regaining her composure for her mistress. “So, Shelly, want to try it out?” She held out a little sketch pad, a pencil, a brush, and a pallet of paint.
Shelly shakily took the items, and set to work. She surprised herself when she sketched a smooth-looking human form in seconds. She made a few choice alterations to the legs, and then grabbed the paints. While her grace with the brush couldn’t hold a candle to Vivian’s, she still managed to cover the pad in color with shocking swiftness and ease, creating a serene and colorful coral reef, through which a bright-blue-haired mermaid was swimming. And while it didn’t seem as photo-real as Vivian’s, being largely quick, flat colors, it had a striking, vibrant look all it’s own.
“That’s incredible,” June gasped. “I’ve seen professionals take twice as long to do something like this.”
Shelly shook her head. “I don’t believe it. I haven’t tried to paint anything since I was seven, and it was all stick figures…”
“I take it you’re happy with your wish, then, Mistress Shelly?”
“Yeah. Thank you very much, Vivian. I’d never dreamed I could do something like this on my own… Guess I technically didn’t.”
“Perhaps, but does anyone really do ANYTHING on their own, truly?” Vivian mused. “Either way, I’m honored to help. Seeing you happy with my service fills me with glee. It almost makes me wish I didn’t have to go back to being human again.”
“Unfortunately,” June interjected, “We DO have to get you back to normal. So let’s make this last wish quick, Okay?”
Vivian shook her head. “No, the last wish is always the one you should be most careful with. You can’t be sure you’ll get a chance like this again, and you want your wish to count, you know?”
June stood up. “Look I’d agree with that normally, but it… It just feels weird having a friend as a genie.”
Vivian put an arm around June. “Friends are always there for each other, and do whatever they can when they need help. I think it makes sense for a genie to be a friend, rather than just some random stranger.”
“Vivian, that’s nice and all…”
As her friends talked back and forth, Shelly tried to think of what to do with her last wish. Vivian was clearly enjoying this, so a part of her really wanted to find some way to let the genie keep enjoying it, even when the lamp released her. Then she started to think over the things she’d heard Vivian say since she’d changed. How “wishing for more wishes” was enforced “to the letter” while the rules about not killing people were enforced in the spirit of the rule. How apparently minor genies had no natural limit on the number of wishes they could grant…
She finally spoke up again. “Hey, Vivian?”
“Yes, Mistress Shelly?” The genie eagerly turned toward her mistress.
“Are you able to look like your old self while you’re like this?”
“I can if need be.” To demonstrate, she suddenly shrunk a few inches, the wispy tail below her waist split in two and solidified, and her clothes changed back to a simple T-Shirt and shorts. The flecks of paint in her clothes and skin were gone… as were any signs of blemish, or tiny wrinkles.
June was taken aback. “Well, that’s interesting… But you don’t plan on leaving your last wish until you’re on the plane, or back home, do you?”
“Nope.” Shelly smiled confidently. “I’m using it right now! Vivian, I’m ready for my third wish, and it’s especially for you!”
Vivian’s legs went back to a purple wisp, her genie form’s flawless skin and arabian-inspired clothing returning. “Oh? Please, do tell, Mistress Shelly!”
“Vivian, I wish that after you grant this third wish, you would remain a genie even as you’re released from the lamp!”
“You WHAT?” June stammered.
Vivian’s eyes widened, and she rushed to hug Shelly. “Thank you Mistress Shelly! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’m so lucky to have a mistress that would figure it out! I promise to loyally serve as your genie, and your friend, for as long as you wish!”
Shelly giggled and hugged her back. “Honestly, the ‘friend’ part is all I need, but I’m glad you’re happy with it.”
Vivian’s body began to turn smoky in Shelly’s arms, startling the human, as the genie began to be pulled back toward the lamp.
“Ah! Did I make the wrong wish? Did something go wrong
“Don’t worry, Mistress Shelly! I’ll be back in just a moment!”
Vivian felt herself pulled into darkness again, and once again, little lights began to appear around her, first just a few, then dozens, then hundreds. This time, though it seemed they were here to take back the power they’d given before. She could feel them reaching out for her… then stopping, her own power holding them back at her Mistress’s wishes. Then, she suddenly felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The lamp was no longer her home, it’s bonds severed, but the power they’d grated remained.
Rather than getting blown out of the lamp like she had the first time, she lazily drifted out of her own accord, reforming into her proud genie form. “Thank you once again, Mistress Shelly. Vivian, the genie of art, is ready to serve you for as long as you desire.”
“That’s awesome!” Shelly said.
“Yeah… Awesome…” June mumbled.
“Does it feel any different?” Shelly asked.
“It does, slightly,” Vivian said with a nod, “Not being bound to an object while still having all this power.” She looked back to the lamp, and picked it up. “But you know what that means?”
“That the bottle can hold another genie, now?”
“Exactly!”