Persis happily sat back and watched as her young master played in the snow for some time, before Riley’s parents eventually called out to him to come back. Luckily, they hadn’t seen his change clearly from the doorway, so he had time to remove the necklace, (visibly disappointed as he did so,) his fur vanishing as his face went back to its normal shape.
Persis followed him back inside, remaining invisible as he happily grabbed the mug of hot chocolate she’d left for him. She couldn’t help but be amused at his parents’ confusion at the improved state of their home, still evident on their faces even though they’d have had at least a good twenty minutes since it happened.
“Did you fix yourself that cocoa, Riley?” His father asked, before turning to his wife and whispering “did you buy some cocoa mix for him? I don’t remember getting it.”
Riley smiled. “It’s part of my gift from Santa.”
The parents looked at each other, not sure what to think of that.
His mother spoke. “Well, just be sure to get into your nice clothes once you’re done drinking that. We’ll be going to church soon.”
“Okay mom,” Riley nodded.
When he’d finished his drink, he went back to his room, taking Persis’s bottle with him. She slipped back inside, to give him privacy, figuring he’d leave her at home while his family left. But to her surprise, she felt her bottle being lifted up and carried out toward the car.
She popped out of the top of the bottle, a fraction of her normal size.
“Master,” she said, “Are you sure you want to bring my bottle with you? It might get lost, or stolen. I’d be happy to wait here for you to get back.”
“I’ll be careful,” Riley said. “Besides, I wanna show you to my friends!”
“If you say so…”
Persis retreated back into the bottle, which Riley hid in his coat. She amused herself with her magic, faintly hearing a car rumbling outside, and eventually hearing a crowd, then a distant sermon.
Now that she thought about it, Persis wasn’t sure what to make of the religious implications of her transformation. Nonetheless, she took a moment to mentally thank whatever higher power had granted her the new body.
Eventually, she heard a bunch of children’s voices, and Riley’s in particular, echoing outside.
“Mel! Kass!” Riley said. “There’s something cool I want to show you! This way! That room over there is empty!”
She heard a door shutting, and the sounds of other kids faded.
“What have you got?” Said a girl’s voice.
“Yeah, what’s the secret?”
“I got a genie for Christmas!” Riley cheered. Persis could feel her bottle being held out by the boy. He rubbed the glass, and she took that as her cue, smoke pouring from the bottle before she flew out herself, “standing” tall on her wispy tail, arms folded in front of her chest. Once again, she hid her fangs as she called out:
“You have summoned Persis, Genie of the bottle. State your wish, and I will grant it!”
“Ahh!” Yelped the red-headed five-year-old girl in front of her, which Persis guessed must have been Mel. “It’s a giant snake!”
Looking around, Persis realized she was in a small children's classroom in a church.
“Shh!” Riley covered her mouth. “She’s nice! She granted my wish to make it snow!”
“She’s the reason it snowed today?” The blonde boy, which Persis figured was Kass, said. “Is that true?”
“Yes it is, little one!” Persis said with a smile.
“She granted me another cool wish! Watch this!” He pulled the crystal necklace out of his pocket, and put it on, becoming an arctic fox boy once again.
“Woah!”
“How’d you do that?”
“I gave him that necklace, allowing him to change into a fox,” Persis explained.
“Do you have any wishes left?” Kass asked.
“One more!” Riley said. “I don’t know what I’m gonna wish for yet. Would you guys like to make a wish on her?”
Persis’s eyes widened as she realized, faithfully granting three children’s wishes at once, while keeping them out of trouble, would be a lot more difficult than she imagined.
Without waiting, Mel grabbed the bottle and rubbed it. “I wish to become a fairy princess! No, wait! A unicorn princess! With butterfly wings!”
“Ah, of course!” Persis said. “Do you wish to keep the ability to stand on two legs, use your hands, and talk, while you’re changed?”
“Yeah, I guess,” Mel said.
“Then your wish is my command!” A wisp of smoke in Persis’s hand solidified, taking the shape of a hairband, with a decorative plastic unicorn horn. She held it just above Mel’s head as she explained. “Wear this headband, and you’ll become a unicorn. And when you don’t want to be a unicorn anymore, simply grab your horn, and pull it away. But, like I told Riley, you should probably keep this a secret.”
“I can keep a secret!” Mel said, eagerly grabbing for the hairband.
“Very well,” Persis said. “Here you go.”
Mel put on the headband on, and it seemed to melt into her hair, which became a flowing white mane, while white fur covered most of her skin. The plastic horn solidified into the glimmering genuine article. Her face stretched into a long, equine snout, while her ears took a triangular shape, and moved up the sides of her head. Her shoes slipped off as her feet became thinner, the toes hardening into cloven hooves. A thin tail, ending in a fluffy white tuft, grew out through a hole that suddenly appeared in the back of her dress. Two holes appeared in the back of her shirt as well, and thin, vibrant-blue butterfly wings slipped out of them, unfurling to an impressive size.
“It really worked!” She cheered, flapping her new wings, and finding herself airborne. Persis smiled, her magic allowed MeL to fly despite her size. Though she couldn’t help worry what the girl might get herself into with her new form.
"Oh, me next!" Kass called.
"I wanna make another wish!" Said Mel.
Persis braced herself for the new wishes to come. Hoping the children wouldn't fight over her.