If you've ever wondered what a genie does while they're inside their lamps, here's your answer as best I can explain: It's kind of like hibernating. You're aware of time passing, but it doesn't really make that much of a difference. You might get a little cramped up eventually, but that's only after a few millennia or so of imprisonment.

Anyway, I was only cooped up for a few months that first time. Apparently, the palace guards had found Zaida laughing away in the garden, with three lamps on the ground beside her. They had no explanation for it (would you?) so they locked her up and sold the lamps. It was a while before anyone actually paid any attention to my lamp, but eventually, a young merchant was polishing up his wares and thus rubbed the lamp, releasing me.

For my first time appearing to a master, I think I did pretty well. I came out as a wisp of blue smoke and gradually took my genie form. The merchant just stared at me in utter disbelief, cleaning rag still in his hand.

"What is your wish, Master?" I said, crossing my arms impressively.

"Wh-what?" he stammered.

"You have three wishes."

"I do?"

"Yes."

"What are you?"

"I'm a genie. And you're my master."

"I am?"

"Yes." I was getting impatient. I wanted to try out my powers. "Make a wish, Master."

"I can wish for anything I want?"

"Pretty much."

"Alright, I wish I had more interesting things to sell. Nobody ever comes to my stall."

I looked around at his merchandise. This wish would definitely help him. I raised my hands and aimed at his stall. Multicolored sparks shot from my palms and swirled around the stall, filling it with splendid jewelry and colorful scarves. Beautiful pottery stacked itself on newly created shelves. I nodded, satisfied at my handiwork, and turned to my master. He, of course, was stunned.

Over the next few days, I stayed in my lamp as the merchant's business grew. I peeked out a few times (I just lifted the lid a fraction of an inch. It turns out you can do more once you have a master) and saw him happily buying and selling goods. He seemed content enough.

But, one morning, just before the city came to life for the day, he took my lamp down and rubbed it once more. I appeared, giving myself legs and leaning against a wall. "Yes, Master?" I asked.

He sighed, sitting on his stool and putting his chin in his hands. "I saw her again."

"Who?"

"The woman I'm going to marry. Well, I want to marry her, but she doesn't even know I exist." He turned to me. "But I don't want to wish for her to fall in love with me, because then it wouldn't be real."

"That's good, because I couldn't make her fall in love with you, anyway."

"What do you mean?" He furrowed his brow. "What else can't you do?"

"Well, I can't kill anyone, or bring someone back to life. Can't make anyone fall in love. And no wishing for more wishes." I shrugged. "Anything else is fair game."

"That's okay. I wouldn't want any of those things, anyway." said Master. I decided that I liked this master. At least I didn't end up in the hands of some idiot.

"But, what about this girl?" I said. "Is she pretty?"

"She's beautiful."

"Is she nice?"

"The other day, I saw her barter for almost half an hour, just to get a fish for dinner, and then she turned around and gave it to a beggar child." he said, shaking his head at her kindness. "And I know that she's not very rich herself."

"Well, we're going to have to get you two together." I stood straight and rose a few inches off the ground.

"I thought you said you can't make someone fall in love."

"I can't, but that doesn't mean I can't be matchmaker. Of course, you still need to wish for me to help. Just wish to meet the girl of your dreams face-to-face. And hurry up, before you get a customer."

"Alright, if you say so. Genie, I wish to meet the girl of my dreams face-to-face."

"Your wish is my command." I surprised myself by turning into a scruffy little dog. It was as easy as thinking. "Tell me when you see her." said Adira-the-dog.

I sat on the ground next to his stall all morning. It may sound boring, but it was actually pretty fun. I mean, at least I got to get out of the lamp for a while. Finally, around mid-day, Master bent down just as if he was petting his dog.

"That's her." he said quietly, pointing.

She was walking down the street, away from his stall. I jumped up and trotted down the street after her. When I got close, I made a metal bar appear in front of her ankle for just a second. She tripped over it and her shoe came off. Quickly, I darted in, grabbed her shoe in my mouth, and sat in front of her, tilting my head to one side.

"Aren't you cute," she cooed. She reached for her shoe and I scampered a few steps away. "Oh, you want to play, do you?" I wagged my tail and patted the ground with my front paws. She laughed and started chasing me down the street, back towards Master's stall. I stopped and sat down at Master's feet, still gripping her shoe with my teeth.

"Is this your dog?" she asked Master as she caught up.

He looked down at me and I winked at him. "Yes. Here, I'll get your shoe back." He knelt down and tried to take the shoe from me. I immediately started a game of tug-of-war, growling. Just as he was tugging his hardest, I let go, and he fell backward. I ran behind the stall. The woman laughed, and he blushed, picking himself up and glaring at me as he brushed off his clothes. "Genie…" he said, warningly. I just barked at him.

"Genie? That's an interesting name for a dog." said the woman.

"Oh," he said, remembering that we had company. "Sorry she stole your shoe. Here." He handed to her. She put it on and turned to go. I ran behind her legs, tripping her again. Master hurried to help her up, and I lay down by the stall, watching them as they fell in love. Literally.

It was a few hours before she (her name was Muna) left, but when she did, I made a flower appear in Master's hand. Once I saw the look in their eyes, though, I retreated to my lamp, tears flowing freely. I missed Najib so much. Would I ever see him again?

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That night, Master rubbed my lamp, so I dried my eyes and appeared before him as a miniature version of myself, sitting on top of my lamp. "Yes, Master?" I asked. "What is your wish?"

"I don't actually have a wish right now. I just wanted to thank you. Muna is perfect, everything I could wish for. I-" He stopped and looked at me curiously. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Master." I turned my head into an overly-cheery smiley-face.

Master crossed his arms. "Really?"

I sighed, turning my head back to normal and putting my chin in my hands. "It's just, you and Muna remind me of someone I once knew, that's all."

I almost told him about Najib, but I didn't. Nobody could know about my past life. On second thought, why not? A thought crept slowly into my mind: I didn't exist before. I've always been a genie. I straightened up and shook my head. Of course I existed before. The thought was terrifying, all the same. And part of me believed it.

Master looked unconvinced, but didn't question me any further. He appeared to be thinking. He dismissed me without saying anything more.

A while later (actually, a few days later), Master was ready for his third wish.

"Genie," he said. "I need a real house. I can't keep sleeping behind my stall every night, especially if I'm going to marry Muna. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, easy. Just make a wish."

"Genie, I wish for you to make me a house."

"As you wish."

Making the house would be easy. The challenge was where to put it. I figured I could make a space between two houses and plop it in between. I shot up into the air until I had a bird's eye view of the whole city. The way things were set up, I had to stretch the whole city to make a space for a new house. I raised my hands and aimed at the city walls. Sparks flew out of my fingertips and pushed at the walls, extending the city. Thankfully, it didn't make a whole lot of noise. At least, not as much as you'd think.

But something stirred in a house near the palace. Something that was bright blue against the shadows. I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I set the house in place. I would have investigated, but as soon as the last wish was fulfilled, I was sucked back into the lamp to wait for my next master. The last thing I heard was a voice calling my name.

Tolly: Adira's sure got a lot to say, eh? More coming.