Arin the Genie Part 4 Genies Just Want to Have Fun

Part 4 genies Just Want to Have Fun

Arin the genie rocked back and forth on her hammock bored. She was tired of reading and watching her TV, so Arin summoned an iPad from outside the bottle. She powered it with her magic like everything else. Could she get an internet connection in her bottle? That was a no. Disgruntled, Arin poofed the iPad back to where she got it. She poofed a soft pillow under her head, curled up, and mused on what Denise would have done with her lamp now that she was no longer Arin’s master. Hopefully, Arin could still be in the college campus. Maybe Denise held onto the lamp until she knew what to do with it.

A thought bothered Arin, she did not know how a master summoned her from her lamp. Did the lamp need to be rubbed or opened? She did know that when she was inside the lamp it looked like it worked. She hoped that then she was summoned if the lamp was rubbed. For that matter, how did she know who was her master? If her lamp was knocked over then who was her master if it touches like three people as it rolls around? Let’s ignore the question of how her lamp-space was stable if her lamp was not.

Arin thought of the answer to the question of how she knew her master. She did not pay too much attention, but when she thought about it she remembered that Ben and Denise had an aura about them. She just… knew that they were her masters. Disobeying their wishes was inconceivable.
Arin groaned. She needed to have less melancholy and more optimism.  She was a genie for goodness sakes! That’s not an opportunity that many come across. The genie was still wearing the clothes that she poofed onto herself when she was with Denise. She then poofed her red harem outfit back on herself. It was breezy, comfy, and she liked it now more than she did when she first had it.

To be honest, really the reason that she was so depressed lately was not that she was taken away from the stresses of the real world but that her masters thus far have been underwhelming. Maybe if she had a master that could be exciting, this genie life would not be so bad. Sure, she needed to deal with Sasi but that was manageable like any overbearing boss. Really, the only annoying thing about being a genie was her loneliness inside her lamp. Arin did not consider herself to be an extroverted person, but she sure could use someone to talk to.

If Arin became a human again, what would she gain? Sure, she was separated from her loving family. She wanted to get away from them, but now faced with the prospect of not being driven insane with phone calls Arin strangely missed them. School was another thing entirely. Arin barely kept her boat from sinking into the Failure Ocean while many of her friends already sank. Ben put her love life into a woodchipper so that was a point towards staying a genie. That boy deserved to fling his poo at zoo visitors for the rest of his life. Oh and speaking of low-lifes, with all the latest hectic changes in her life like the Fresh Prince she almost completely forgot about Laura. Ever since Arin won a scholarship Laura believed belonged to her the girl was doing her best to ruin Arin’s chances of holding onto it. Maybe she was selling herself short. She needed to get better at entertaining herself during the doldrums between masters, the red head genie poofed in DVDs for her TV then she made shelves by her TV to house them.

The genie with fiery red hair floated above the island for a good bird’s eye view. Crossing her legs, Arin got comfortable as the fear of heights eroded. She glanced over to the ‘sun’ that was still stuck at sunset, and then to the moon that was off to the northeast being inconspicuous. Arin ‘turned off’ the moon as if she was turning off a lamp. Next, she had the sun do a full rotation back over to the east. She had it rise into morning hours but not all the way to full noon luminescence.

Arin blew some cute clouds shaped like animals into existence to populate her sky. The genie turned her attention to her island. Her bed was right in the center of the circular island. Her books were on a nightstand beside the bed. The TV, DVD player, and DVD shelves were in front of the foot of the bed so she could watch it as she layed down. Her hammock and the trees that held it up were on the East side against the water’s edge. Satisfied with her arrangements, she landed gently upon the eternally calm waters of her lamp-space.

She walked on the ocean with the stillness of a wooden floor until she was happy with the distance from her home island. Arin proceeded to hum the Sorcerer’s Apprentice theme as she made a new island rise above the sea the same way a conductor leads an orchestra. She continued to hum the song as the beat picked up more into the climatic tune. She widened the new island, gave it a few cocoanut trees, and a rock in the middle that spewed a waterfall. The freshwater waterfall carved a little brook that found its way to the sea on its own.

“All I need now are some mops with buckets. This place is like Minecraft but easier to use. I wonder just how far it stretches?”

She laughed pushing the thought of an end to her lamp-space aside. Why not talk to herself? At least she would listen to herself. She then swept the sand flat with a few hand waves, and poofed a dance floor for herself.

After summoning a sound system and CD player to pump out a strong bass, Arin then cut loose on the dance floor doing whatever moves she felt like no matter how pathetic it looked. All that mattered now was her good time. Really, despite her complaints, she has had more fun alone in the lamp than she ever did outside of it so far.

“Having fun?” Said a familiar voice.

There was a literal record skip. Arin turned to see Sasi floating nearby munching on popcorn.

“Ah,” Sasi laughed. “Is the show over?”

Arin was embarrassed. “You know, for someone who is supposed to be all ‘supervisory’ you do not do it.”

Sasi smirked poofing away the popcorn, “So, ready for the surprise I promised?”

“Pizza party?” Arin guessed with a grin.

Sasi rolled her eyes poofing a golden ticket into her hands. Arin’s excitement turned to confusion. “I’m going to Willy Wonka’s?”

Sasi smiled at that joke, “No, better. You get to go to the Genie Realm. Hold onto this, show it to anyone who asks for it.”

Sasi let go of the ticket and it glided over to Arin. The bound genie stuck it in the folds of her clothes, “It doesn’t have like an epic name? Seriously, just Genie Realm?”

The blue genie motioned to the open door that she used to travel to Arin’s lamp. “The Magic Kingdom was taken.”

Arin enjoyed at the Disney stab impressed with Sasi’s knowledge of human pop culture. Did the genie supervisor know more than she let on? She went over to the door. Sasi kept her from entering, “Just a few things to remember. Respect the other genies, and I’ll let you know when it’s time to go. Other than that have fun!”

The supervisor genie then allowed Arin to pass. The younger genie stepped through the doorway feeling a tug as she left her lamp, but then Sasi closed the door causing it to disappear. Arin was now in a vast desert oasis. The oasis housed an elegant city from an Arabian dream. Fountains spout water that flowed through the city like the canals of Venice.

“The capital of Genies,” Sasi said like a tour guide. “Pretty much all free genies live here. The large building with the spires is where my bosses, the Council of Five, meet. The Genie Academy is also here. There are other assorted restaurants, theatres, and other amusements for genies.”

Arin replied, “Huh, genies sure got stuff together.”

Sasi led her into the city, “Yes, for many millennia in fact. You can live in the genie realm free as birds only if you are a free genie, but bound genies and drifter genies alike are permitted.”

“Wait, free genie?” Arin tried to remain focused on the conversation and not to get too distracted by the variety of genie appearances. There was one woman in an elegant kimono, another that wore a mask over their face, and yet another who was an African Medicine woman. Arin noticed that asides from their clothing they looked more or less like Sasi, one of a rainbow of colors that matched their magical smoke and pointed ears.

“Yes,” Sasi answered, “There are three kinds of genie. There are those bound to a vessel like you, a drifter who is bound to a vessel but can leave it, and then there are free genies that have no ties to a vessel.”

Arin asked, “How do I get to be unbound, or a drifter or whatever you call it?”

Before Sasi could answer, Arin heard someone behind her say, “Hello.”

Arin turned around and saw a guy and a girl standing behind them. They appeared human like her. However, they were not dressed in harem clothing. The brunette guy who was cosplaying as Link from the Legend of Zelda series. He was the splitting image of the character minus the sword and shield. He stood with a knightly poise. The girl was an animated with a tilted hat on her head styled after a Coke bottle cap. She wore a flowing red dress that cut off at her ankles. They both did have manticles around their wrists and distinct chokers around their neck to show they were both bound to a vessel.

Arin waved, “Hey, who are you?”


“I’m Maximilian from Germany. This is my friend and bottle-mate Mary.” The boy answered politely introducing himself and his companion. He extended his hand for Arin to shake.

Arin shook his hand. “I am Arin from the US. You speak English well!”

The coke bottle girl clung to Max affectionately, “It’s because I’m from the States as well. He was learning from me while he taught me deutsch zu sprechen. He is like a brother to me since we are bound to the same vessel, a Coke bottle to be specific.” She finished with a wink.

“I have enough trouble with English thanks.” Arin joked smiling. “Everything changes so much.”

“That the same with all languages. I just speak English often so I sound less like Colonel Klink and more like Christoph Waltz.” Max replied with a smile of his own.

“Care to join us for a little stroll?” Mary asked, “We were going to try some elixirs in the bazaar. They are interesting drinks made by genies for genies.”

“Sure!” Arin answered eager to get to know about other genies. As the three set off to deeper inside the city, Sasi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

“So, what brings you two here? And why are you dressed up if you don’t mind my asking?” Arin asked as they walked.

“It’s a way we like to have fun.” Max answered, “I am dressed as Link because I am a lifelong gamer, and I have liked the Zelda series for a long time. I change it up every now and again to other characters, but Link is my favorite,” Max said placing his arm around Mary’s shoulders. “Mary here has the eye for design, and helped me get it right.”

Mary beamed, “I like to match our vessel. It’s fun to see what our master will say when they see my costume.”

Arin nodded, “Fair enough.”

Mary looked over Arin’s harem outfit, “You look cute yourself Arin.”

“Thanks!” Arin replied happily.

Ah,” He said brightly as he saw the three approach, “Three bound genies enjoying a vacation?”

Max took the lead, “Yes kind sir, me and my companions would like to have a drink each Sir.”
Arin wondered how they would pay for the drinks, when Max produced three small, purple disks. Arin took one of them. "Is that money here?"

"Kind of. It's a token for a drink I got from a free genie for a deed. I'm inviting the two of you." Max explained. The four-armed genie took the tokens and served them the drinks as requested. So she just followed Mary and Max’s lead and got the one for her before joining them on some nearby cushions under a colorful open tent where other genies enjoyed their elixirs.

“Being a genie is so awesome! Even with the rules, you can do so much.” Mary said as she drank her elixir.

“Yeah,” Arin agreed thinking about all the times she had used magic beyond a human’s wildest dreams. It was quite empowering excluding when Sasi gift-wrapped her. Arin took a sip of the elixir. It tasted like a blend of various citrusy fruits. When she took another sip, the taste changed to a cinnamony apple. The drink changed with each sip.

Max drank some of his own elixir, “So Arin, what vessel do you call home?”

“I’m in a lava lamp.”Arin said blushing, “I don’t even like the silly things.”

Max scoffed, “It can’t be that bad. How about I go to your lamp with you? It’ll be fun.”

“This doesn’t hurt you at all?” Arin asked shocked at what this meant.

Max was the picture of confidence, “It is no problem, just a perk of sharing a lamp with someone. Our supervisor says that it’s a loophole that is happily exploited. Maybe you can do a favor for me in the future, us bound genies have to look out for each other.”

“I’ll hold down the fort ‘til you get back!” Mary added brightly.

Max nodded, “I will probably feel the lamp wanting me back, but Mary attending to our master helps alleviate this. It’s like a craving, like wanting some good ice cream. It is strong, but with Mary’s help I can resist. I should also mention that while I have magic it is very diminished.”

Arin decided to accept the offer. “Okay, well if you want to come to my lamp then sure let’s go!”

“Sounds intriguing.” Sasi said behind Arin.

Mary turned around beaming, “Sasi! Hey!”

Arin gasped, “You know her?”

“Yes, she is our supervisor.” Max replied confused at Arin’s reaction.

“She is mine too! What is the meaning of this Sasi?” Arin shouted standing up.

Sasi was not bothered by Arin’s distress as she smiled patronizingly. “You think that you are the only bound genie that keeps me cleaning up messes.”

Arin suppressed her outrage. “Is it time to go back to the lamp? Because Max and I was talking and we wanted to ask if he could go to my lamp for a bit.”

Sasi took a sip from a bottle of elixir. “I heard, and I think that you should ask what Councilor Ashta thinks about it.”

There is another genie who sat with her legs crossed drinking an elixir. Her skin was lavender, and a jeweled crown in her flowing black hair. She wore revealing Persian-styled clothing with golden threads that started at her shoes and ended on her gloves. The councilor wore a scarf around her shoulder that wrapped around her arm moving as if there was a breeze. However, the still air made that impossible. Maybe the scarf had a mind of its own?

Ashta confirmed Arin’s suspicions by throwing her bottle up into the air and the scarf extended to catch it. The scarf put the bottle on a nearby basket that a genie was carrying full of empty elixir bottles. Arin had unpleasant flashbacks to Sasi punishing her. The councilor genie spoke slowly and with authority. “So these are some whom you watch over Sahasrahla, an interesting group to be sure. Is the red one Arin?”

Sasi nodded. Ashta directed her attention to Arin. “I have a favor to ask of you. I want to travel to the human plane of existence. However, I run into two complications. Firstly, as a free genie, I cannot go to the human realm at will like a drifter genie since I have no ties there. Think of this entire world as my bottle. Only those with something to anchor them to the human world can get there. Secondly, I need to do this with a bit of secrecy as not everyone in the genie realm needs to know one of their councilors are away. As a reward, I will grant each of you a favor that is within my power.”

Arin was intrigued. This was a way that she could be human again! If not, surely she could get something useful from such a powerful figure. “I’d be crazy to refuse that offer.”

Ashta was pleased, “I was hoping you’d say that Arin. My request is a simple one. I just want to go to the human realm and have fun. It has been so long since I have been.”

“Sure,” Arin complied, “I will take you to there through my bottle.”

Ashta floated into the air onto her feet clapping. “Excellent. And you friend may come along as he requested.”

Max rose and offered his hand to help Mary up. “I will be back soon Mary.”

Mary crossed her arms and looked to him mockingly sticking her tongue out, “Take all the time you want I’ll be fine. It’ll be nice to have some privacy.”

Max laughed, “Enjoy it while you have it.”

Sasi created the door to Arin’s bottle, “Shall we Councilor?”

Ashta led the way with Arin and Max behind her. The last two waved to Mary before passing on to Arin’s bottle. Sasi closed the portal door leaving the three in Arin’a lamp. Max marveled at Arin’s work in her lamp. “Pretty cool work. You should see ours.”

“Maybe I will one day” Arin giggled. She then asked Ashta, “So, now what do we need to do Ms. Ashta.”

Ashta placed her hands together. “Now that I am out of the Land of Djinn, I have a bit more sway over the fabrics of the universe.”

She made a large ball of purple energy and created her own door that looked different from Sasi’s. It was much larger and had Persian décor. It opened on its own leading to the middle of the town near Arin’s college, specifically in the park between the town and the college.

They all walked through Ashta’s door out into the park with the Councilor allowing the other two to take the lead. Arin was relieved that no one was around and changed her clothes from the harem clothes into a more mundane red blouse and blue jeans. The other two genies kept their clothes the same. The entourage then went into the town. The air was  cool and autumn decorations covered the town, but many restaurants, stores, and houses had the more Halloween cobwebs, jack-o-lanterns, and skulls. Arin was shocked at how long she was a genie! It must have at least been a week and a half.

“Why did you change your clothes? Is it not your country’s celebration where everyone dresses up in cheap costumes and asks for candy?” Max asked as they walked clearly trying not to sound too much like a foreigner who only knows what is going on from a movie but forgot the names.

Arin nodded, “Halloween, yeah it’s about this time of year. I just don’t feel comfy walking around in those exposing clothes.”

Max tilted his head towards Ashta, “Doesn’t seem to bother her.”

Arin giggled, “Well, that’s up to her. I figured we would get a lot of attention anyways.”
True enough, Ashta got plenty of compliments on her ‘costume’. Ashta smiled as she walked down the street like this realm belonged to her. Her scarf waved around her arms like it was happy as well. Max maintained his polite demeanor when he received praise from people who recognized what he was dressed as. Many stared, some dared to inquire as to how Ashta and Max got their pointed ears to look so realistic. Ashta was discreet in her replies, “I made it myself.”

Arin led the group to a well-known club that favored college students. When the group of genies entered the bar, there was a group of students sitting in the front area of the bar. Ashta didn't seem too happy about that. It seemed she didn't prefer too many people around. They walked deeper into the bar. Ashta was intrigued by the place with its oddball decorations of vintage things from history as well as the sports on the TVs hanging up.

At the other end of the bar, the genies found a separate room, where only two patrons, a depressed looking guy and a frizzled girl who looked like she had one too many, were sitting. The genies sat down next to them and ordered some drinks. Arin got herself a mix of vodka and orange juice, Max a pint of Becks beer, and Ashta sipped on a glass of wine and finished it fast. “Please more wine!”

The bartender quickly supplied her with another glass of wine after taking her empty one. “We haven’t had that spirit here since 1969.”

The reference flew over Ashta’s head as she drank more wine, “There are many here, but it is quiet. A gathering in a place like this should be jollier.”

The bartender shrugs, “Don’t worry, it’ll pick up I imagine. It’s just not live music night.”

Both Max and Ashta got looks from those around them since nearly no one else had costumes, and Arin stayed close to Max to indicate for the other boys to stay back. Besides, she wanted to talk to Max so he did not end up as a third wheel on this trip.

The boys did stay away aside from the depressed looking boy beside them who looked at her as if he recognized her. “Excuse me, is your name Arin?”

“Yes?” She answered.

“I’m Owen, I have that Chemistry for Everyone class with you. Where have you been the past few weeks?”

Arin struggled to come up with a decent excuse, “Well… something came up and I had to go.”

Owen scoffed, “You sure took your sweet time! At least you got the midterm before you left, otherwise I’d say you couldn’t pass to save your life!”

“What are you doing here?” Arin asked hoping to keep the topic away from what she had gone through.

He sighed, “My girlfriend dumped me. All I have left of her is this phone she gave me for my birthday.”

He held up the generation one iPhone, “It’s old, but it was special since she gave it to me. Call me sentimental, I don’t know if I could get rid of it.”

Ashta peered over to them, “What’s this? I hear the drowning of sorrows and the outspoken desires.”

Owen sighed, “It’s nothing, I just wish I could have a girl who understood me.”

The frizzled girl stuck her head up, “That’s a joke! I wish I could understand men better.”

Arin noticed that Ashta was looking at her. The red headed genie then noticed that Ashta’s scarf held her lava lamp vessel. Max offered an encouraging smile, and Arin felt empowered as if she were given the steering wheel. She focused on the two humans that were asking the cosmos to fulfill their desires; little did they know that the universe offered them what they requested.  

She first focused on Owen’s wish first, and snapped her energies converging on his phone. The mobile device vibrated, and was surrounded with Arin’s red smoke. Owen dropped it falling over from shock as the smoke expanded until the smoke cleared revealing a black haired girl his age that sat on the bar. The front of the dress she wore had an image of the iPhone screen. The inanimate object turned animate looked over herself over in disbelief like she knew what happened. She then fainted on top of Owen. The frizzled girl’s request was easier: what better way to discover more about someone else than to walk a mile in their shoes? The frizzled girl was now a frizzled guy with her clothes altered to compliment her new form! She blinked noticing something was wrong even with the alcohol robbing her of her wits. The new man was speechless at what happened. He looked to his drink, groaned, and passed out as well.

Ashta clapped clearly drunker than she was when she walked in, “What a show! I need more wine.”

Arin and Max helped Owen get up and him support the phone girl. He looked like he might start hyperventilating and Arin comforted him, “Breathe Owen, it will be alright. Yes, that really happened. Can you get her to your place?”

Owen nodded mutely. Arin smiled, “When I can, I promise that I will help you out with this. Until then, take care of this girl okay? It’ll be alright I promise.”

Owen nodded again and carried his former phone out of the bar.

Arin then sat down and Max followed suit, “Thanks for your help. That was… interesting. I was starting to think that this might get boring.”

Max shook his head smiling, “No doubt. Creative wish granting.”

Arin was ecstatic, “Maybe I will get another chance to do that again.”

Arin and Max raised their drinks up for a toast. Then they started to discuss each other’s lives before they became genies. They did not get very far when a guy came forward to Ashta as she sipped on her third glass of wine. He was a college kid and acted like he owned the place.

“That’s a great costume.” He said to her.

Ashta laughed, “Thank you kind sir.”

“I was thinking,” he said sitting down by Ashta, “That, well, it’s been awhile since I’ve met a good girl. And, I saw you come in and I knew that you’d be one.”

Ashta was amused and spun on her chair to face the sweet talker crossing her arms and her legs, “A good girl?” She laughed heartily a soft hiccup escaping her lips, “Dear boy, I am neither. Well, I am a girl… but more along the lines of woman.”

He smiled as if that was what he wanted to hear, “Well, I wish I knew what it was that you want from a bad boy like me.”

Ashta smirked and sent a poof of her lavender magic around him.  It coiled around him like a snake replacing his normal clothes with a harem boy’s silks. However, The magic did not stop there. Before the buzzed college boy could register what was happening to him, he found his muscle mass growing in size. He was already pretty well toned, but now he was becoming a hunk! He dropped his drink and words were caught in his throat now that his body stopped growing leaving him with the muscles of an Olympian.

Ashta rubbed his firm chest, “They may not say it, but women want what men want. A lovely, well shaped man to take care of them.”

The bulkier college kid nodded dumbly. Ashta slapped her forehead in embarrassment, “Intelligence is a luxury that wine cannot afford.”

Next, Ashta poofed her new servant a palm fan. She admired her work for a moment before saying, “Now darling, I am feeling warm. Fan me.”

The servant obeyed his mistress. This ordeal did not escape Arin’s notice and she did not know what to think of what happened. No one seemed to notice it just like before. She looked to Ashta, “If you don’t mind my asking Ms. Counselor, are you going to leave him that way?”

Ashta waved dismissively laughing, “Do not worry young one. I made it so he will remain as he is until he does ten deeds for women, nine including serving me. Oh, and lest I forget he cannot disobey a feminine voice.”

The bartender came up to them. “Excuse me miss, your friend can’t dress that way in-”

He was cut off by Ashta poofing him into someone that looked like they stepped off a stage production of Aladdin. Ashta spoke Arabic to the man, and he gave Ashta two new wine bottles! The genie counselor giggled as she poofed the cork off and started to drink it from the bottle. Arin was concerned, but Max placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head, “I would recommend not… how did Mary phrase it… killing her buzz.”

Arin nodded. “Good point.”

“I have an idea!” Ashta slammed her bottle down upon the bar. Ashta smiled wide giving a flourishing wave towards the crowd, “It is rather… dull in here and these people are here for a good time. I shall give it to them. This is a time where people dress as something they are not…”

A flash of light emitted from her and took over the entire bar. When it cleared, everyone was dressed like they were in Arabian town from the days of sultans. She finally got to see how Max appeared with his own harem clothes. He wore forest green harem clothes with a yellow undershirt. The bar’s design also magically remodeled to match the changed patrons. The place resembled an Arabian palace. No one found this odd as they continued to talk, drink, and have a good time. Did Ashta affect their minds?

The door glowed pink. Arin heard it open and saw a person walk through changing to match everyone else in the bar. They joined the crowd not finding anything unusual. Yep, Arin surmised there was mind manipulation going on for the humans in the bar.

Arin wanted to compliment Ashta for the scale of her magic, but she and her fanning servant disappeared and reappeared in the middle of the tiled dance floor. Ashta sat on a large cushion and held a sitar in her lap. She began to play an upbeat tune on the instrument. She flinched as two more arms came out of her torso to help her rock the place. Her servant continued to wave his fan since she had not given him a new order. Quite a few of the people went out on the dance floor.

Max finished his drink and took Arin’s hand. “Care to dance?”

Arin rose and he took her out onto the floor, “Well… I don’t know how to dance well… and…”

Max led her in a dance, “It’s alright, just do what is natural, and have fun! Oh, and please don’t step on my feet.”

Arin did so and blushed, “Sorry”

“It’s okay,” Max reassured her, “everything has a first time.”

Ashta played a slow song, and Arin bashfully kept dancing with Max, but she started to warm up to him more. He has been a good friend, which is all Arin wants right now.