Jeff looked flabbergasted.
"But - I *am* human! I don't have any weird powers or...or anything!"
Yohannon positively beamed.
"Yet, Jeff. Don't have any anything YET. Because Djinn are shapeshifters, our children with other beings appear as fully members of their other parent's people until they reach maturity and their Djinn blood begins to manifest."
"But Dad wasn't a Djinn when he had me! He was just a regular human!"
"Technically true, but because Djinn transcend what you think of as linear time - to a point - his changed state alters that of yours retroactively. The same would be true if you had had any siblings."
Jeff soaked that in, while Mike nearly burst with relief.
"So he's not a threat to our people?"
"No more than you or I are. In fact in a way Jeff is a great guardian of our people - our human hybrid offspring are called the Perian. Jeff is a Peri, singular. Among other things, the Perian are...well, I suppose, the conscience of Djinn society. They keep us grounded. Oh, you'll find a few Djinn who look down on them - but they're unpleasant sorts to begin with."
Jeff looked down at his still apparently human self.
"So I'm a...Peri. I don't know that word."
"It's not a common element of Djinn stories here in North America, I've noticed - you lot render the Perian just as...er, well, 'good genies' as opposed to 'bad' or 'neutral genies' which is really unfair all around."
"So...wait, I'm like the Djinn Glinda The Good?" Jeff asked incredulously. Yohannon burst out into a laugh.
"Well, not exactly, but it's an apt little analogy...actually, there's quite a few things to explain about it and we're not exactly flush with time since this is the material plane. I've got a quick idea. One moment..."
Yohannon snapped his fingers and two doors appeared, freestanding, one on either side of the living room. One opened, and through it Jeff and Mike could see a vast kaleidoscope of colors and stars and raw magic.
"Mike, if you'll step through there, I'll give you some of those lessons in what you can and can't do with the time stream. Oh! No, wait, hold that thought, Jeff, you have to wish your father free first."
Yohannon looked on benevolently, but Jeff gulped. His father had made clear he'd be gone as soon as he was wished free...
...but he couldn't keep Mike a prisoner. Steeling himself, he turned to his father.
"Dad, I wish you were free."
The bracers fell off Michael's hands and the bottle vanished into a puff of smoke. Mike pumped the air.
"Yes! WOOO!"
He instantly darted through the door. Jeff felt like his heart was breaking, but Yohannon clapped him on the shoulder.
"It's not right to keep someone you love in bondage, Jeff. You did a good thing. Besides, we'll be right back, I give you my word."
Jeff looked up at the old Djinn, tears in his eyes.
"O-okay."
Yohannon nodded, stepping towards the door and then turning to face Jeff again, looking momentarily pensive.
"Oh, one more precaution...shouldn't be necessary but one never tempts Murphy's law, not even as a Djinn. ESPECIALLY not as a Djinn."
Jeff looked confused.
"What are you-"
Yohannon snapped his fingers, and suddenly Jeff and his chair were encased in a cage of light. Jeff jumped up and banged on it, finding it very solid.
"Hey! HEY! LEMME OUT!"
"Be right back, Jeff!"
Apparently unconcerned, Yohannon stepped through the door after his father and shut it behind him. The first freestanding door vanished, leaving Jeff trapped in the room with only the other door for company.
"HELP!"