"Where do I begin? I haven't always been a genie, you may have noticed..."

"I did, and you weren't 'free' for some of it?"

"Yes. There are three distinct kinds of genies. Enslaved genies are those bound to their vessels either as captured souls bound by often evil magic spells or are criminal djinns who can't be trusted with unlimited power and freedom. Free genies, like I am now, are not bound to vessels but can still live in them - it grants us a form of protection from imprisonment. We can grant three wishes to any one being before needing to spend time recharging. There are all sorts in the vast multiverse of creation; if you can think of it as a wish-granting genie, it's probably out there somewhere. Then there's you, an Angelic Genie, a special type of free genie that is protected from imprisonment, wards off evil, and can grant an unlimited number of wishes to anyone."

"Based on that, you were one of the captured souls, weren't you?"

Eris nodded. "I was a king, a conqueror driven by a need to run away from my feelings. Like you, I was transgender, although that was not the name for it in my time. I needed to be as masculine as possible. At the height of my power, my forces found a lamp containing a genie. Darumond. I made wishes to be powerful, beautiful, and immortal."

"Sounds like the classic genie trap."

"That's exactly what happened. He turned me into a genie and enslaved me. Fortunately, that doesn't grant him freedom, but I was also cursed by him. I was a mindless wish-granting... Being... That-"

"Hang on, why don't you describe what you looked like?"

"Because... As much as he made me into a female genie, it was this hyper-exaggerated thing, male fantasy stuff..." Eris visibly shivered at the memory. "Anyway, I wasn't in control. My body was to grant wishes as they were made, exactly as the wisher intended. After my first master, I was able to break free of my curses by connecting with the magic I had felt myself use. Then I was finally able to change my body. Only when I thought about returning to what I was..."

"You didn't like it."

"Exactly. I rearranged my new form instead, until I hit upon a reflection that was me. The same one that had been hiding inside all along. Like you, it was a powerful enough moment to bring me to my knees, so to speak. I didn't actually fall to the ground, but it was... Everything I truly wanted."

"What did you do from there?"

"Long story short, I realized all the harm I caused as a mortal came from trying to run away from being a woman. I determined that, somehow, I was going to undo the harm I did. I didn't do it thinking I was going to free myself. From my binding, I knew for one I couldn't be wished free. And I didn't know I could earn my freedom either. I came to accept I was going to be enslaved forever..."

"That must have been hard."

"It was, but the worst part was being stuck in the lamp until I had a new master. I could feel the passage of time.  Years went by while stuck in it. I eventually conjured up libraries of every book ever written just to give myself something to do. I didn't even have contact with other genies for my enslavement..."

"But you’re free now. How did you earn it?"

"Over time, I guided a series of masters to make wishes that not only benefited them, but to others as well, slowly erasing my old kingdom. I successfully removed my old self from history, and I was granted my freedom because I granted wishes out of genuine kindness and compassion for the people I was granting wishes to, all without expecting a reward - I was only trying to do the right thing. It took over three hundred years to become free."

"At least I don't have to go through that... But I have to ask: do you know what happened to that Darumond guy? Is he still around?"

"Thank God no. After my imprisonment, he moved on to cause even more chaos. He created more genies, each worse off and more cursed than the last. Eventually, after causing a genocide in a parallel world, his soul was fragmented, hidden in the darkest corners of reality, and his magic siphoned and given to those who could purify it."

"Yikes."

"We were able to undo the genocide with special permission from the powers that be, but the genies... We're still cleaning that up. Somehow, Darumond managed to create five hundred new genies in as many years. No doubt he corrupted wishes - changing wishes so much that they didn't resemble the original wish anymore - the only thing he could do as an enslaved genie, because between turning me and his judgement, he went from a human-like genie to a demonic one. That’s a sign that magic has been corrupted." Noting the concern on Ariel's face, Eris added, "Don't worry, you already said you want to be true to the wisher's intent. You don't have to worry about corrupting yourself like that."

Ariel's home construction was slowing down. Most of the structure and important objects had come into place. Now finer details were etching themselves into the space.

"You mentioned other genies he created?" Ariel asked.

"Yes, all sorts of people were transformed. Many didn't want their powers, and once a genie has been created, it’s hard to undo. We've had some mixed results, in part because of Darumond's curses, which are still potent to this day. Being one of his victims that took to the power I was given, I was given the task of guiding others who were forcibly changed but decided to stay genies. There aren't a lot of them, and many are still confined to their vessels. I give them some much needed company while they await their next masters, at least."

"They sound lonely... Could I help you with that one of these days?"

Eris couldn't help but smile. "Not more than an hour into being a genie, and you already want to comfort those bound to their vessels against their will, give them company. I think that can be arranged!" This one will go far, I just know it, Eris thought.

Both of them looked around. Ariel's new home was complete now. Lined with wood walls, high ceilings with the roof frame visible, and plush rugs littered throughout, it felt like some sort of lonely cabin out in the woods. It had modern amenities, from the highest-end kitchen appliances of today to quality electronics. Ariel even added working wi-fi. Eris could tell this place was a mix of Ariel's imagined comfort place and some of the things she had always dreamed of having in life.

"Oh, and one more thing..." Ariel muttered before closing her eyes and putting out her hand. A swirling mass of energy formed in front of her hand, slowly taking shape. Eris sensed the magic involved. Ariel was actively searching for things from her old life she treasured and bringing them here as she remembered them. Things started coming together, like a set of game consoles and games - all in the condition Ariel last left them in.

Eris sensed the effort Ariel was using, spells that Eris herself didn’t fully grasp despite her age. Eris searched the cosmic timeline and found that Ariel's former parents had sold all of her things. Ariel was searching across time and space, either retrieving the item outright or copying it at the last moment before things were erased and became someone else's. Gathered were cherished toys and the games Ariel played - and all the save data she accumulated - which then were fit into a couple of storage tubs and gently set on the ground.

"Alright, THAT is everything!" Ariel said, admiring her work.

"Just couldn't let some things go, huh?"

"Well..."

"I get it. And besides, you now will have a lot of free time ahead of you. Also, our past informs us of where we go sometimes. Having things from our old life reminds us of these things."

"Anything you kept from your old life?"

"Not much, but..." Eris surrounded herself in magic, and Ariel watched as Eris's clothes shifted and her legs reformed. When the light faded, Eris was the image of a genie Ariel had expected before. An outfit of purple and lined with gold, it has pointed shoes, silky (but opaque) harem pants, and a strapless tube bra. On her wrists were ornate bangles that were reshaped from her old magic shackles. And Eris's red hair was in the classic updo ponytail often seen in genie legends, revealing the full extent of her pointed ears, a detail Ariel now shared. Most striking was the tube bra, which had golden sword-shaped wires acting as her bra's supports, forming the tip of a triangle at their blade tips, where a golden crown shape was adorned, conveniently covering up whatever cleavage would have been showing there.

Eris gestured to that very detail. "The delta swords and crown emblem here was mine as king. I added this after a while, the only real callback to who I was. The rest from my old life came after my time. I didn't really treasure anything from my mortal life..."

"I see... I think I’m done in here for now. Let's head back outside." Ariel dematerialized into smoke and headed through the portal. Eris followed suit, and both of them flowed out of Ariel's flashlight and reformed in the snowy field, Eris choosing to reform with the clothes she had been wearing earlier in the day.

"So, Ariel the Angelic Genie, what's your plan now?"

Ariel closed her eyes. She could sense who was to need her, just as Eris described. She sensed there was a teenager, living in the same area Ariel herself grew up in: her home of Fireleaf Hills, Michigan. She was a quiet one with a lot of secrets and very lonely... There was something about her that struck close to home.

But now was not the time. She could see that. The opportunity would come a year from now, the perfect time to present herself to one who would need her help to build trust, make friends, and ultimately become the person of their dreams.

As such, she had time.

"You know what? I have some time before I’m needed. For now, I think I’ll stay here and enjoy the scenery. After that, who knows?"

"Alright, before I go..." Eris formed a small ball of purple light in her hands and gave it to Ariel. "This is the magic equivalent to my contact information. If you want to talk or join me in my vessel, you can send me a message!"

"Thank you for everything, Eris!"

"You're welcome, Ariel, and good luck!" With that, Eris picked up her vessel and vanished with a flash of light.

Ariel sat down in the snow. She stared into the night sky and watched the dancing of the lights. She now could soak in the beauty of the world without a worry. Her new life had begun. She grabbed her flashlight vessel and held it in her hands.

"Thank you," she said towards the sky, to the one she now knew had been listening and watching all along.

She smiled and continued watching the lightshow before her. She was content to be here for another few hours. This place was magical.

THE END, FOR TODAY

By Erica Chrisman (CrystalSeaDragon44)