Jim got an idea. Maybe he could keep Mark from wishing his third wish. Or better worded, maybe he could get Mark to waste his wish. He sincerely doubted Mark wanted to stay. After all, he had not seen him again, but being mated with a gillman could not have been easy. Must be worse than being with a satyr! The other boys with stuck with satyrs were not so happy themselves, except maybe David. And Jim had noted down the number of days to count until two months. At first it was to count the days until his ordeal ended. But now... As impossible as it appeared to his former self, he did not want to leave. He could alt least ask Mark to leave him out of the wish, right? That would be acceptable. And he was sure David wanted to stay too.
So on the set day, he made the long way to the swamp, leaving a message to Conluscius that he'd be back and to take care of the four children on his own - for once. And he arrived just in time. He saw Mark talking to the genie, trying to word his wish perfectly. Jim hailed him and they both turned. Mark looked at his friend with slight disgust, Jim being heavily pregnant. As if he was any better, with those two weird slimy eggs in a bag on the ground, thought Jim bitterly. And if Jim had leather clothes showing off his bulging belly, Mark was wrapped in torn hides and a material that looked like woven seaweed. Jim told him to stop and asked Mark to not include him and David in it. Mark sighed and argued that having the right wording was hard enough. He then added that it'd be sick to remain. They were not women! Did he not miss his penis and testicles? How could he be happy with being pregnant? A fight ensued. Jim argued that the genie could not be trusted with words, that he would make things worse and that not using the wish was better. Mark got so angry that he said he'd say his wish to bring them back home AND as male was going to happen either way. Terrified, Jim was hit by a wild idea. A wild idea that could work. He started crying, saying that Mark was right, that Conluscious had brainwashed him and that he wanted out. That Mark was right and that he wanted the nightmare to end. So Mark nodded and started to say "I wish..." to the genie who had watch the fight with a mild interest. That was when Jim acted. He took out a knife from the folds of his skirts and pointed it at Mark's throat. He then threatened the youngster to say another wish.
"Wish that you want to be Amphibo's perfect mate," he growled. "Or I stab you. For real. I'm not losing my kids because of you. And neither is David."
Greatly frightened, Mark saw that Jim was not joking. So he uttered the wish and the genie smiled, granting it with glee. She was gone in a puff of smoke and Jim felt a puff of smoke transforming Mark. He grabbed the lamp, threw it away in the marsh and was happy to see it disappear in the mud and water. He then turned to see what had become of Mark. At least his own egg offspring would not have to grow up without a parent.