Jeff had tried to pull up the saved profile of his father like he did to change Jeannie back to Mike and the same message came up. It didn't make sense, and the ditz Jeannie didn't have the same look of horror dad did... it was as though something changed him at that moment...
Jeff took several hours to wrap his head around and get his mind off the situation. he cried, he watched tv, he ate, he spitefully thought about stealing one of his dad's beers but didn't, and eventually he came back to his room and the ornate bottle was there waiting for him...
Jeff had come up with a few ideas to try but didn't have a good feeling about them. With a heavy sigh, Jeff rubbed the bottle and in an instant, his young dad appeared.
"Yes young master, are you ready to embrace the reality of your situation yet?" Mike said.
Jeff was caught off guard by this question but pressed on with his plan... "I looked at it and the Chronivac can't even target you anymore." Jeff walked over to check Mike's profile which gave the same message.
Mike turned red with anger "I am beyond that toy now." he growled.
"I came up with other ideas, Genie, I wish you were my father again."
"I'm still the one who contributed genetic material to create you, I have since ascended. Try again."
"I wish you never Ascended!"
"Sorry Master, djinn aren't that easy to destroy."
"I wish my dad wanted to try being a dog instead of being a genie!"
"I can only go back in time as far as I had my powers, are you done?"
"It's like you don't even want to be my dad anymore! Why are you being such an asshole?!"
"I was given knowledge of things beyond comprehension... and I'm stuck here..." Mike struggled for a second... "it's like this..." Jeff suddenly found himself sitting at a school desk with a piece of paper and a pencil before him, his left arm was secured to the back of his chair and his right hand was manacled with a chain tying it to the desk. On the paper was an amoeba-like creature with a smiley face drawn on it.
"Oh my gosh! Are you an Artist!?!" the creature on the paper asked.
"Um, sure," Jeff said confused.
"Draw me a blob Artist!" Jeff drew a small blob and the creature squealed with joy. Jeff looked at Mike, "I get it, anything I want is easy for you..."
Mike smiled, "I almost forgot" Mike snapped his fingers. Mike, Jeff, and the desk setup were teleported to the entrance of what looked to be an amusement park. Roller coasters and excitement could be heard within.
"Artist! ARTIST! My blob isn't happy, give it a smile!"
Jeff scrawled a quick smiley face and looked back at his surroundings. A group of Playboy bunnies were entering the amusement park, one winked at him and jeff overheard her say, "That guy at the desk is really cute, I'd show him an amazing time!"
"Make me thinner Artist!"
Jeff began erasing and redrawing the demanding blob.
"Free steak dinner! Get your free steak dinner over here! Each steak dinner comes with a lava cake!" came the cries from inside.
"What did you do? I'm hideous! Fix me now Artist!" the blob mournfully wailed.
Jeff had accidentally drawn the creature's side through its mouth, distracted by steak. Jeff quickly erased and redrew the blob paying more attention despite the intoxicating smells now wafting through the entry gate.
"Geez, this place is so amazing, I really wish Jeff was here, he's always a blast to be around."
"Yeah."
"Totally!" came the voices of Jeff's friends from school.
"Artist, I want to be the richest and most powerful! make me king of the sheet of paper! Give me a crown!"
Jeff giggled but drew his best rendition of a crown, to the blobs delight. Jeff couldn't help but focus on the sights, sounds, and smells just feet away beyond the gate.
"Artist, you've been so good to me over the last few minutes, I want you to become a blob, like me! I am the most powerful blob on the piece of paper and your existence as a blob will be wonderful!"
Jeff bellowed in laughter, "No, thank you, I have my own life to live..." Jeff looked at Mike finally realizing the point of all this... " It's more amazing than you can imagine, and I wouldn't give it up for the life you're offering me."
"But Artist! I love you! You are on my paper and I am King, I have the crown, you must do as I tell you!" Mike snapped his fingers and they were back in Jeff's room, the desk and paper creature were gone. Jeff started to tear up.
"So the second I wish you free..."
"I am so gone and not coming back."
"I don't want to be alone Dad!"
"You don't have to be! I can make you someone's husband, or boyfriend, both? You can even have a whole family of your own if you'd like, a kid or two running around, great job, house, car... the whole shebang! Or, I could make you a player, a different party each night, different girls whenever you want."
"Woah, slow down, I'm way too young for all that!"
"I can fix that too. I can make..."
"No, No, No... I'm dealing with the loss of my father, I'm not ready to lose the rest of my life this hour too!"
"But with the snap of my fingers, you could be! Jeff, you're feeling pain but don't have to be! You're mourning things you don't need to have feelings for, or may not even remember. Just repeat after me, 'I wish I was emotionally ready to accept a new life from my Genie.' I'll snap my fingers and everything will be better, we can have the other half of this conversation detailing your new life, and then you'll free me."
"No, I need to take time to process all this..."
"No! You need to realize that without a job, this house, the electricity, food, and running water will go away! Without a parent, you will be taken away! Mike is expected at work bright and early tomorrow morning and I'm not showing up for him! You have full-time school! What's your solution? If you don't want to grow up, I can make your life really simple, like, goat in a pasture simple! I'm trying to help you and be patient, resisting the urge to... You need to make up your mind or your life will only get worse, and the first chance I get, I'm out of here."
(Freshly trapped Djinn do not make the most patient of genies. It is a skill they learn over the millennia.)