CHAPTER TEN: THE BEST JEANNIE
A/N: To set the record straight: Hadji's origin, which appears in this chapter, is entirely something I whipped up. Once again, however, no infringement on the series IDOJ is intended if there is, in fact, a background story on the Master of all the Genies.
Please read and review! I love hearing from all of my faithful readers, and I am glad that this story has touched you!
XXXXXXXXXXX
Jeannie II was in some serious trouble. She knew it, just as she knew how many more hours she had until Major Anthony Nelson would be hers. The malevolent magic girl could tell that Hadji was coming, could sense that he was not pleased about her manipulation of time and space to win her human prize. It was fitting that he should be coming for her, in a bizarre sort of way, she realized. Even she had her limits, one being that she had promised herself once-upon-a-time that she would never perform alterations to the two uncertain dimensions of time and space to alter the turn of events.
If she was lucky, the younger Jeannie would just have her powers removed for a few centuries. If she was unlucky, she would be fodder for the mystic Plain all genies drew their magic from.
Jeannie's younger sister began to plan. Somehow, someway, she had to get out of this hornet's nest she found herself in. Her mind searched for something, anything that would get the monkey that was Hadji off of her back.
Just then, the Master of all the Genies materialized into the square with her human pet. Knowing that Hadji would not be able to easily detect her presence if she assumed another shape, Jeannie II turned into a cat and hid behind a stone wall at the bazaar.
"You shall have the tools you need to seek, but the finding of Jeannie shall be thine," Hadji said. Major Nelson looked at him quizzically as the Head Genie worked his magic. Before the astronaut could wonder what the gong was for, Hadji disappeared.
It was all Jeannie II could do not to scratch her perfidious pet to pieces. How dare he solicit Hadji's aid, and how dare he lie to her about getting his affairs in order and waiting for her?!
He's cleverer than I gave him credit for, the evil genie thought. So now, Major baby, I'm pulling out all the stops!
She thought once more about the Plain of Mystic Power, and how Hadji had been appointed the Master of all Genies prior to him making Jeannie The First's family genies, including her. It had been centuries ago; at least 3,000 years, when Hadji had been transformed upon finding the secret cave which housed the secrets of ancient magicks. The story went that Hadji Nemor Symm-Bahoun had been a young boy, searching for a way to better his existence and take care of his starving family.
He had stumbled upon a statue of a sphinx in the desert. It had called to him, and it had pronounced him the most worthy. Before the boy had even wondered what was happening, it had bestowed a great gift: the gift of being the most powerful in what would be a future race of genies. The previous Master, Ramda, was old and preparing to abdicate his position on his 20,000th birthday, and he needed a successor. It had been upon Hadji's entering the treasure house that the youth had proved his worth, taking none of the treasures therein for himself, but asking the best way to provide for his relatives.
His family, though not gifted with extremely long life, was well cared for once the boy decided to become the New Genie Master and care for "Ramda's children". They had every comfort humans with a genie could want, and they lacked nothing even when they passed away.
Jeannie's sister finally realized that she had, well, magic in a bottle. If she could find a successor and somehow persuade him to take Hadji's place as the Genie Master, she could be pulling her own strings, not just over the future Major Puppet, but over everyone else in the world! She would research and discover the way to trick the statue in the desert. Of course, first, she had to not only find a human to go into the cave (since humans who had already been turned into genies could not,) she also had to find whatever secret caused them to channel into the magic matrix's power.
Once she had that, nothing would be beyond her grasp. Then, she would show her idiot sister, her former Genie Master, and her betrayer-human-pet what true magic was, once and for all!
Enjoy your moments of freedom, my future slave, she thought as she watched Major Nelson walk toward some merchants. It won't last long!
Jeannie the Second dematerialized in a blue cloud of smoke.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Unaware that his nemesis had been observing him, Tony pretended that he was looking to make a purchase. He walked until he found himself by a tent with a small boy in front of it.
"Excuse me…" Tony began saying. The little boy turned.
"Yes?" he asked.
Major Nelson realized that the boy sounded to the astronaut's thoughts like he was speaking English, but in fact, outwardly he was speaking ancient Arabic. Some of Hadji's magic, no doubt. At least, he thought smiling, the Genie Master had given him a big head start. But Tony still didn't know where Jeannie was, and he knew that the Arabian landscape was vast, to say nothing of the rest of the world. His genie might not be there at all; she might be elsewhere with her Master.
Tony shook off his negative thoughts. He just knew that Jeannie was somewhere nearby. Hadji wouldn't have popped him here if she wasn't.
His face determined, Tony spoke in perfect Arabic, "I am looking for a fair haired woman who might have passed by here a couple days ago. Have you seen anyone like that?" He went on to describe some of Jeannie's features and her height.
"I will ask my father, Efendi," the boy said, going back into the tent to fetch his parent. Moments later, a tall man with striking dark features emerged.
"You search for a woman with hair the color of spun gold and a tiny waist?" the man asked. At the Major's nod, the man continued.
"How much will you pay for this information, hmm?" he asked. Tony realized that he didn't have any money to pay the merchant. Major Nelson reached into his pocket…and touched some gold coins.
Great, Hadji! He thought. I really owe you one! Tony withdrew a small, square shaped gold coin and handed it to the man. The older man bit on the coin and, satisfied that it was genuine, he looked at the younger man.
"You seek her for what purpose?" he asked Tony. The future man didn't want to tell his real reason for being in the past just yet, so he came up with what he thought would be a plausible explanation.
"She's my sister," Major Nelson told the merchant, "and I lost my way when we separated. I'm trying to locate her, please."
The man shook his head. "I have seen a woman like the one you seek," he reported, "but I know not where they went after leaving the square. I hope you are successful." The man bowed toward Tony. He bowed back, then made his way to the next seller.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"While you are arguing, the Sultan has had ample time to send his guards!" Jeannie said to Mahrouf and Jalisha. "Please, at least let me blink in some way of eluding them!"
"Too bad you cannot trap them in your bottle!" Jalisha exclaimed.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Outside, Zarina was overcome with joy as she realized that the Princess had provided her with the information she sought. Once the guards took the three away, Zarina would locate the magic device. Then, she would give it to Jaffey. He would probably shower her with gifts, and take her to his bed. Zarina could hardly wait to taste him on her tongue! The head housekeeper waited, and watched for the guards to make their move.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Camouflaging ourselves is the best option," Jalisha pressed her initial plan, adding, "and Jeannie would be able to blink us into any shape of our choosing." The Princess looked at the blonde ally, asking, "right?"
"Yes, I am able to change our shapes," Jeannie said, "however, my magic does not permit me to change your voices unless I make us animals so you might not want to speak too much."
When Mahrouf started to decline, Jalisha said, "we could pose as servants. That way, my father would not detect us. No one, not even he, knows how many servants we actually have in the palace, and we could say that the Sultan sent us to the market in the square for some fruit and water and then get away. Once we leave the palace, Jeannie can make us a place where we can be safe until we get rid of the Prime Minister!"
Mahrouf conceded that Jalisha's plan did have some merit. He was overjoyed that they had all agreed on something that he reached over to where the dark haired beauty stood and he pulled her into his arms. He planted a kiss on her lips, then withdrew a second later as he realized his breach of manners. The Princess took matters into her own hands. She grabbed him and kissed him tenderly.
Jeannie observed the pair, remembering a time when she had kissed Tony with the same passion and desire. She smiled, feeling happy for the emerging couple, but also sad for her failed romance and a little envious of her new Master's good fortune. She forced herself to the task at hand and waited for Mahrouf's signal to work the spell that would change their outer appearances.
"I…" Mahrouf mumbled when they pulled apart, "I don't know what to say."
"Don't say anything," Jalisha whispered.
"But…" Mahrouf faltered, recovering enough to ask, "why?"
"Why did I kiss you back?" the Princess asked. At his insistent nod, she said, "because you stole my heart from the moment we first met."
He blinked several times, then smiled. He took her small hand in his and kissed her fingers, then her palm.
"Let us put this plan into operation," he told the women.
XXXXXXXXXXX
In the hall, the Sultan, Jaffey, and two guards were thundering toward their guests' quarters. The monarch still had a blank look on his face. Zarina heard the approach of the guards as their swords clanged against each other.
Before the head housekeeper could put her thoughts into practice, Jeannie II appeared behind her. The head housekeeper was about to draw back into the shadows as the footsteps got closer when she saw the other woman. Both stared at each other for a brief moment.
Jeannie's sister didn't know why she hadn't thought to follow her sister in the first place. After all, she knew that the Major had to be on his way there since Jeannie was inside. This way, she could get rid of both in one fell swoop. She probably could also find a power hungry human who would help her in order to increase his own coffers. Somehow, though, Jeannie the Second reasoned that this woman regarding her wasn't the person she was looking for.
"Who are you?" Zarina cried.
"Just someone who dropped in," Jeannie II said.
She knew her stupid sister was nearby. Jeannie the Second had popped inside the palace near her sister's location rather than inside the chamber where her square sibling was in order to avoid detection too soon. The evil genie didn't want Hadji or anyone else to help her sister or interfere in the malevolent magic maiden's plans to gain access to the ultimate power. So it was that she decided to get what information she could on what was happening with her sister and who she had go through to gain access to the other genie. Once Jeannie II had that, she could turn the tables on everyone forever.
"Where did you come from?" the servant was asking. Jeannie II studied the other woman. Her clothes with the brown and red colors indicated that she was a servant of some kind. The veil she wore pronounced that she had power. Maybe she was a maid who commanded the other maids, or something of that sort. She affected a casual demeanor as she addressed the head slave.
"Just the marketplace," Jeannie the Second responded. "I move like the wind."
Zarina was incensed. This servant could ruin everything by her being there! She had to get rid of her so that she was free to search the room for the bottle after the Sultan, the guards, and Jaffey left.
"Well, blow out of here!" Zarina yelled imperiously. "Go back to the kitchens!"
Jeannie II looked at the servant. The magic girl suddenly realized that this servant could be of some use to her. Although the vain, spoiled genie detested playing a slave, she could use this human's form to get herself into the room where she knew her sister had to be.
Jeannie II blinked, changing Zarina into a beetle and taking her form. She laughed for a moment, peering down at her clothes in disgust. The malevolent mystic maid saw Jaffey, the Sultan and the guards approaching. She bowed respectfully as they let themselves into the chamber and listened to every word.
"Ahh, Your Highness," Jaffey said, looking at the Princess. Jalisha nodded curtly to the Prime Minister, who for some reason had taken leave of his senses and was standing in front of her father rather than behind him as custom dictated.
"To what do I owe this visit?" the Princess asked, forcing herself to be congenial.
"To your upcoming wedding," Jaffey told her. "I look forward to making you my bride, and to being a good husband in return." He took her hands in his. The Princess struggled to withdraw her hands from his slimy grip.
"It is truly a time to celebrate," the Sultan said in a monotone. "You will be married by noon tomorrow. And the infidels who dared to take you away will hang for their crimes."
Jalisha stared at her father, the guards and Jaffey. "I will never marry you!" she defiantly declared to everyone.