Alexandria

Four long years had passed since that shaking event. Upon my late return to my parents' apartment, I awoke my parents and they had ensued me with many questions. I told them I had simply been in the bathroom, and they bought it.

Now, nearly eighteen, as I stood in my own apartment's office, a pentacle drawn perfectly in front of me, a summoning book propped on a stand on my desk, incense scattered about, I took a deep breath in.

I smirked. Who said a commoner can't summon djinn? I thought. I rolled my long turquoise sleeves up to my elbows and sucked in another long breath.

Finally, I carefully began the careful incantation. This would be great. I almost laughed aloud, but knew if I made even a slight mistake, I would surely be eaten...

Bartimaeus

I felt hook-like barbs tugging at my essence. Who the heck was summoning me now? The old buffoon Tribberr had only died about a year before.

I prepared myself, shifting into a rather handsome Ptolemy wearing a dress suit and shiny leather shoes.

As I found myself standing casually in a large pentacle, I wiped off my trousers and took a careful look at my 'master.'

She was tall, or so it seemed ( she held herself completely upright, her chin tilted up slightly. I let out a snort. Classic magician.) to be. She wore casual blue jeans, a blue shirt with it's sleeves hitched up to her elbows, and her long golden hair fell in a heap of defined curls over her shoulder. Her green eyes glinted in malicious pride and...resentment? Her mouth twitched slightly up on one side (was that a smirk? Hmm...), showing off a glossy pink shade.

I narrowed my eyes, something looked familiar.

"Bartimaeus," she snapped. I looked up at her.

"Well then, magician, what is my charge?" I asked impatiently, wanting to get it over with.

She flipped her hair and sneered, "I'm no magician. I just read up on you as much as I could."

I chuckled, "Well, obsessive much? Maybe you should get that checked out."

She narrowed her eyes. "My name is Alexandria, seventeen, almost eighteen. Surely you-"

"Wait!" I cut her off, a pit of dread filling in my stomach, "You mean to tell me you're that small girl Tribberr had me...?" (Hey, just because I'm a djinn doesn't mean I can't feel guilt. I'm not THAT bad.) I gulped.

She blinked, and took a long breath before whispering softly, "Yes..."

A few tears welled in her eyes, but she brushed them away immediately.

I took a good look at the pentacle for the first time. It was Perpetual Confinement.

"So you mean to tell me you're a commoner? Yet you pulled this off?" I gestured around at the pentacle with intricate markings all around. I met her gaze, "What do you want anyway?"

She spoke harshly and directly.

"Revenge." I flinched.

"I had to," I told her, "Look, I'm sorry, but it was my charge. Maybe if you had-"

She cut me off again (how rude.) "Shutup!" Her face turned a scarlet shade of red, crimson with fury. "Because of Tribberr and you, my life has been unstable for the past four years!" She began trembling, and I feared she would collapse. She turned around briskly, and I watched wearily as she encased herself in silent sobs (believe me, my essence was really starting to nag now) that seemed to make the room spin.

I found myself behind her, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," I whispered, "I shouldn't have done that, I-" Her back stiffened, and she shoved me away. I stepped back, looking down at Ptolemy's feet (now adorned in much more comfortable Egyptian sandals) in bewilderment.

She turned around slowly. "My first charge for you," she whispered, taking a step back, "Is to cook me breakfast." She slumped down on her couch, head in her hands.

I couldn't help but smirk. "Come on, atleast make up something more torturous for your glorious revenge."

Her reaction was cold and dismissive, "Oh don't worry, I plan to. Right after I eat."

Oddly, I found myself shivering, and clambered downstairs to go make food for that pitiful girl.