Disclaimer: I don't own Fairly Odd Parents.

AN: Constructive criticism welcomed, particularly on characterization. If Losing Streak is on a losing streak, tell me so I can fix it. This fanfic is multi-chaptered so if you got an Alert for this chapter, you should go and read it from the beginning or else it won't make any sense. In addition, I allow reviews from people without accounts.

Chapter 16: Spirit Art and Observation Failure

After several masters had learned of his species and exploited him, thought he was a heretic, or called him an evil spirit, Norm felt like he needed a plan. He didn't want to spend his entire life being exploited, or treated like an evil spirit by humans.

Norm tried to think of a plan, but he had trouble doing so, since he didn't actually know much about the humans, when it really came down to it. Whenever they rubbed his lamp, he automatically tuned out, or defied them.

If he wanted to learn more about the humans, Norm supposed he had to focus better, and not defy them every time they said something offensive to him. Now, that would be hard!

However, Norm was sure he could do it.

A human rubbed his lamp. The ten year-old spiraled out.

"I am Norm the Spirit," said Norm in a fake cute tone. "I can grant your wishes."

The human started freaking out about evil spirits, and one malevolent spirit in particular. Norm groaned, and yawned. That human was just the same as the rest of them, so was it really worth it to observe their behavior? Norm reminded himself of the freedom that genies used to have. Yeah, it was.

"I will not have any wishes from a malevolent spirit."

"I'm not malevolent," said Norm in a fake innocent, pathetic tone.

He didn't like sounding like a pathetic, young child, but he figured that using that tone would cause the human to pity him, or at least not find him malevolent.

"You're cute," replied the human.

Norm tried to give himself the young-child-blush look. He didn't want his masters to know that he was ten, and devious. That would just cause trouble.

"I'm cute?" asked Norm in a childish voice, trying to make them think that he didn't already know that.

"Yes," replied the human.

Norm internally groaned. This sounded like a good time for a devious plan, but he didn't know enough the human culture to execute one and have it succeed. Becoming friends with the human didn't occur to him, since he had never met a human that liked him before, and didn't understand why such an emotion existed. Every time he had felt anything close to that emotion, he became easier to exploit, or hurt. Norm didn't want to make exploitation, or harm to happen any quicker than it usually.

"Just make your three wishes," Norm muttered under his breath.

Then, Norm considered that the human was feeling the emotion herself, so he could exploit her easier.

"If you wish me free, I'll get you something that looks exactly like me from the Spirit World," he said.

"No," replied his master. "I want to make statues of you, and cave paintings."

Norm groaned. His master wanted to do Norm art. Perfect, just perfect, in the sarcasm-rich version of the word.

"I wish you were back in your lamp, until I have time to make a statue of you, or draw you."

Norm groaned.

GONG!

Norm looked around his lamp. He hadn't GONGed any of the genie stuff that he had seen in Torvald's lamp. Now would be a good time to do so, he figured.

GONG!

His sleeping furs turned into the comfy stuff in Torvald's lamp. His clothes changed from furs to whatever Torvald's clothes were. Then, Norm GONGed up the weird black box that he had seen there.

He grinned, and snuggled into his new sleeping thing. He needed a decent rest so he could observe the humans better.

His master awaked Norm from his nap. Norm groaned. Art time, was it?

Yes, it was. His master used to the wishes to get Norm to pose for her, after Norm told her that she could wish for three more wishes. He didn't want her to spend all her wishes on three poses, and have to go through the tedious process of getting another master. Norm wondered why she couldn't just ask him to pose for her.

His master showed the paintings, and statues to the tribe. Norm groaned. He doubted that his reputation as a malevolent spirit would cause them to be well received.

The shaman saw the art, and asked to see the malevolent spirit that inspired it.

Norm's master called him, and he GONGed himself to her side.

"Wish the spirit back into its lamp, and give it to me," said the shaman.

"Yes, shaman," replied Norm's master. "I wish you were back in your lamp, and that I wasn't your master anymore."

Norm groaned.

GONG!

He was sucked into his lamp.

Norm judged that day as a failure. He didn't learn anything about the culture of the humans, other than that they hated him a lot. Norm wasn't too worried about that; it was mutual after all.

He'd try to learn about humanity later, and when he had learned enough, he'd trick them into setting him free. That was the only way they'd do so, after all.