Djinn and Tonic

"Wait, so you're saying that there are changes I've made that I can't remember?" James asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Isn't Jennifer different from how you remember her?"

James looked at Jennifer. The girl he remembered helping cheat through middle and high school. His girlfriend. Even with the body of a stripper, he could tell that this wasn't the Jennifer he knew and loved. She had a sharp intelligence in her eyes, and carried herself in a very formal manner.

"So, you're the real Jennifer?" he asked.

"Yes. Straight A student, not some silly bimbo. And your former girlfriend. After all the shit you put me through, we're done you bastard."

Even hearing it from a completely different Jennifer than he remembered, he was hurt. The girl that he had gotten to know since Middle School was breaking up with him. "Well," He started and realized his eyes had started to water up.

"Well," he continued, "that's fair I guess. I guess you want me to turn you back."

"Yeah, and give me my real body, not some brainless slut's."

James sadly walked up to Jennifer, and touched her on the shoulder. "You're back..." in that moment he tried to imagine life without his Jennifer. She may have been dumb as a brick, but she was kind and she loved him. They always supported each other, and now that was all going to be gone, just because some Jennifer, the real Jennifer broke up with him. "...to the way you were this morning."

Before his eyes Glitter the stripper disappeared, and was replaced with the hottest girl in school, with a dull look in her eyes. "Oh, honey. Where, like, are we? What is this... what's the word. Oh yeah, place" she finished with slight smile.

"Don't worry, you're safe now," he said, embracing her. "I'll never let anything happen to you again babe." She returned the hug, and he was happy to have her back.

"Enough chit chat with your girlfriend," Amy said, "we need to get the lamp and make me your sister again."

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot." James said. He was glad that his sister had apparently not noticed the change. "Jennifer, do you have a lamp that you got recently?"

"Oh, yeah. Totally. It was really pretty. I, like, saw it and it was so sparkly I knew I had to have it."

"Great, can you take us to it now?"

"Like, anything for my beau," she said.

***

They got to the lamp in Jennifer's room. James rubbed it, and was surprised to see Desiree. "Oh master, you found me again. I'm so happy! You can finally get your last wish."

"Oh, um, hi I guess. I don't really remember you." James said.

"Oh, of course. I, uh, guess I was going to help this strange woman become my sister again." He said winking towards Amy.

"Oh, is that so?" the genie said, softly and sadly. "I had dared to hope that someone would free me one day, but I suppose that dream will have to wait. I understand. It's your sister, that's important."

James considered for a moment. He realized that his perfect moral compass had been slowly ground down since he got his powers. He had done things he would have never dreamed of doing, and he hadn't felt that bad. With no limits he had become something different. He wondered if the fact that he didn't care one bit for the genie or his supposed sister made him a monster. He almost wanted to make a completely selfish wish. Something that opened even more possibilities than his current powers did.

"Genie, I wish..."

***

Epilogue

A week had passed since his last run in with the genie. In the end, he had helped Amy become his sister again. She was still famous, but he cancelled her last wish, whatever it was. He was happy that when his nose was to the grindstone, he had made the right choice. It was a decisive moment and it taught him self-control. He still had fun with his powers of course, but in more controlled doses.

Things settled back into a sort of normality after that. He looked up at Ms. Maycomb, as she taught the class in her cheerleader outfit again. Maybe he would turn her back one day, if Empress Jennifer willed it. He looked fondly at her majesty, and smiled at her.

Her desk was a ruby throne, and at her side was her handmaiden Desiree. After James had made Amy his sister again, Jennifer had gotten to use her wishes. He didn't know what changes she made, but he knew that the Great Empire of Jennifer was just as peaceful as it always was.

When Empress Jennifer had James tell her about the changes he made to her, she commanded him to changer her back, but it seemed like whatever wishes she made prevented him from making any more changes to her. She didn't mind that much. She may not have been the brightest bulb in the bunch, but she was a just and fair ruler.

At least, that what James said every day when he said the Pledge of Allegiance to Her Majesty, with his hand on his heart. It was good to be one of her many husbands.