Three Wishes

He rubbed the ancient lantern not realizing the consequences of releasing such a creature into his life. In a cloud of white smoke appeared the jinn. He stood tall and imposingly before the young man. He stretched his lean muscles then raked his long fingers though his silken blond hair. After yawning, he trained his dazzling green eyes at the young man. He didn't need permission to leave his home like the others, he had been granted his freedom long ago. He saw arrogance, greed and vanity in this one.

"Why have you disturbed my sleep mortal?" His asked in a disinterested tone.

The fifteen year old young man looked up at him. "Don't I get like three wishes or, something?" He asked in an arrogant voice. Weren't genies supposed to do things like that? Being slaves to whomever found their lamps and set them free?

The jinn narrowed his eyes at the boy in irritation. Slave? Hmm, I suppose I could play along. "If three wishes are what you want, then three it shall be. What would your first wish be?"

The boy knew instantly what he desired firstly and foremost. "I want all the musical talents of a rock star."

The jinn smirked, then nodded. "If I grant this you will lose something precious to you."

The boy thought for a moment. "Will women still want me?"

The jinn was not terribly shocked at his question. "Women will still admire you." but, you will lose the respect and admiration of your family.

The jinn granted his wish, giving the boy the talent to become a future star musician.

Not wanting to be alone in the big city of Tokyo, the boy brought the girl that practically worshiped him to care for him and the lamp that contained the jinn. Every day he would leave the girl to pursue his career in music and every day the girl would work tirelessly to support him. He would shack up with his manager and she would stay behind and wait alone, until one night, when she was cleaning, she met the jinn.

It was one of Kyoko's rare days off and she decided to clean their apartment from top to bottom, making everything shiny clean. She had no idea when she polished the lamp, what would happen. Initially she had been shocked when he emerged from the lamp, but being partial to the supernatural and fairy tales, she quickly accepted him.

"Who are you?" She asked in a sweet caring voice.

He stared at the girl in awe. She was beautiful in the old ways and no one had ever bothered to ask him that simple question. The only thing that humans wanted from him were wishes granted. "Wouldn't you like to wish for something?"

The girl laughed at him. "Don't be ridiculous. I have everything I need right now. What more could I want?"

He looked at her skeptically. "You aren't like the others."

She sighed. She had been called strange often enough. "Don't remind me." She said sadly, then in an unusually cheery voice asked again. "What's your name?"

He looked at her pensively. What could it possibly hurt to give her my name? "I am called Kuon." He answered. "And your name fair one?" His voice was like liquid silk over her ears.

She blushed and stammered. "Um, I'm Kyoko." And thus a bond was formed between the two.

Over the year that she had spent in Tokyo, she and Kuon became close friends. They would spend time together when Sho was not home. Which was quite frequent. He had become severely lacking in his attentions to the girl and decided that he wanted to cash in on his final two wishes.

"I want to be famous and I don't want her always hanging around me, it's embarrassing to have a maid fawning over me constantly. She's too plain and boring." He told the jinn.

This request irritated the jinn. "Are you certain this is your desire?"

Sho nodded greedily. "Of course it is."

"Kyoko... I know you were listening. Come to me my sweet." He called to the teary eyed girl and she entered the room. He dried her tears and kissed her nose. He clapped his hands and in a swirl of gold dust, she was dressed in colorful silks, her hair was lengthened and arranged and her wrists, arms, neck, ears and ankles were wrapped in gold jewelery. Finally her face was hidden by a thin white veil, only her beautiful golden eyes that were perfectly lined would be seen.

Kuon clapped again and a strange familiar feeling washed over Sho. "There, you have what you desire and I shall take what is now mine."

Sho's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I have erased you from her heart and mind." He told him with a smile as he twirled his companion and her giggle rang musically in Sho's ears. He then took her in his arms. He laughed at the selfish boy. "She will no longer have the desire to lavish you with her attentions."

"Kyoko?" Sho called to her as she looked deeply into Kuon's eyes and shivered.

She turned her head to him and stared at him in confusion. "I'm sorry, do I know him Kuon?"

"No my dear." He smiled. "Let's leave here." He told her then claimed her lips as they both left the shocked boy in a shimmering shower of gold and silver, leaving behind an empty, useless lamp.

As the boy fell to his knees in silence staring at the useless empty lamp, in his cold barren apartment, it never occurred to him that he had just been given the rare privilege of witnessing the birth of a new jinn; yet, also the complete loss of a rare and perfect friend.