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hippo2 — Forever Genie? - Part 4B (Goddess, Humanity, Tree)
Published: 2013-08-03 05:34:01 +0000 UTC; Views: 2480; Favourites: 12; Downloads: 0
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A few days after Martha had lost her job, she met Amelia in a cafe in town."I heard Svetlana had fired you?" Amelia began the conversation. "Where are you staying now?"
"David took me in. I'm glad I have him as a friend." Martha replied.
"Are you trying to make me jealous?" Amelia asked. "I wouldn't be surprised if he'd make his move on you soon."
"Amelia, what are you talking about?" Martha asked in disbelieve. "David loves you. Only a blind person wouldn't see that."
Amelia looked to the ground. "I'm not so sure about it anymore. When you were locked away inside your lamp, David invited me for diner. I think he was about to ask me to marry him. So I confessed to him that I was born as a mouse. He didn't take it too well. He didn't ask for my hand in marriage. And since this event, he's very reserved towards me."
"Oh... I didn't know that... Shall I help getting him back?" Martha asked.
"Ok, as long as you don't use your magic." Amelia replied. "If you use your magic and David finds out, he'll be even more angry."
Martha didn't like the idea to help Amelia without using her magic. "I will see what I can do." She decided to change the topic. "Did you know that I was called to the boarding school because of Frida." Martha began her tale.
"Who's Frida?" Amelia asked.
"Right, I never told you:" Martha replied. "Frida was the PA of my brother Luca. But she abused her powers to take over Luca's body and his decision. Eventually, I could fix everything and as a punishment, Frida was rejuvenated into a six year old orphan and send to that school."
"Awww, that's nice. She got the chance for a fresh start." Amelia cooed. "I'm sure, she's an adorable six-year-old now."
"Yeah, but not the way you think." Martha explained. "See, Babette was a genie for one day, when my brother came here. And it was Babette who turned Frida into a little girl. It seems that Babette had somehow protected Frida's mind, when she transformed her. Thus, Frida has kept her mind. But She told me she has accepted now that she is a little girl again."
"So you genies can preserve the mind of a transformed person. Why didn't you do that?"
Martha took a deep breath. "Sami told me that the mind will adopt. And I believed him. Now most of my victims have lost their mind."
"Mhhh... Sami is difficult. If he didn't tell you this on purpose, you should really rethink your friendship with him." Amelia proposed. "Maybe your master should add to his wish, that the mind of the victim shall be preserved?"
"That would work for sure." Martha sighted.
Amelia thought for a moment. "Mhhh..., maybe there is a way to rescue some of your victims."
"You think so?" Martha asked in disbelieve.
"When you returned from America, you told me that you changed the history of Amy's family. I thought about changing history to save your victims."
"Keep it slow, Amelia. Changing the history can cause even more trouble. Simply wishing that I never transformed would affect the lives of others too." Martha explained.
"That's not what I have in mind." Amelia replied. "What if I simply wish, that you had added a mind protection when you had transformed your victim? Then we could wish them into their original bodies and all should be fine."
Martha frowned: "That sounds pretty reasonable. Only that they will remember the time they spent transformed. And they will be very angry. I just hope they won't lock me up again..."
"There's only one way to find out. Do you know where your next victim is?"
"That would be Sylvia. Gregory wished that I transformed her into palm tree. She's in the lobby of the hotel since. And I have already checked her mind - it's gone."
"Sounds like the ideal test object." Amelia took Martha's lamp. "Martha, I wish that when you transformed Sylvia into a plant, you had actually protected her mind from adapting to the new form."
"Your wish is granted." Martha blinked. "Let's see if it has worked."
A short time later, Martha and Amelia were standing in the hotel's lobby next to a potted palm. "That's her." Martha explained. She placed her hand on the palm and reached out for the human mind that was trapped inside.
"And?" Amelia asked anxiously.
A smile crept on Martha's face. "She's fine. Her human mind is still there."
Amelia smiled too. "Good. Now for the second part." Martha, I wish that you transform this palm into the human body she had before you transformed her for the first time."
Martha was happy to oblige. "Your wish is granted." She folded her Hands and blinked. Immediately, the palm began to expand. Cracks formed on its bark. Eventually, the bark ripped like paper. From beneath, the body of Silvia van Bommel appeared.
"Free. I'm free again!" the woman shouted.
"Are... are you ok?" Martha asked.
"I'd say... Except from being stuck as palm for three years." Sylvia replied. "Did you release me?"
"Yes, we did." Amelia replied. "Martha here is a genie."
Sylvia embraced Martha. "Thank you... Thank you very much!"
Martha freed herself from the embrace. "Don't thank me too early. It was I who turned you into a palm in the first place."
Sylvia backed away. "You did that? I thought it was this slimy Gergory?"
"Gregory was my master at that time. He wished that I transform you into a plant. And as a genie slave, I was forced to obey." Martha explained.
"I see. And there was no chance to somehow add a loophole to that wish? Like that the transformation would last only for a short amount of time." Sylvia asked.
"Listen, I was very inexperienced back then. I didn't know it was possible to twist a wish in such a way." Martha said.
"Ok, but why did you keep me as a palm for three whole years?" Sylvia asked.
Martha turned red. "I... simply forgot about you. Kind of."
"You ... forgot ... about ... me?" Sylvia asked in disbelieve.
Martha lowered her head. "I'm not proud about it. And if you want to lock me away for a long time, go ahead."
"Martha, I would never do that to you. I know what it means to be locked away for three years. Don't think I'm a cruel person like Gregory. Speaking of which: Do you know what had happened to him?"
Martha looked up. She felt emberassed. "I twisted his last wish and now he's a genie slave just like myself."
"That pig definitely got what he deserved. So is the position of receptionist still open? Or open again?" Sylvia asked.
"You should think twice about that." Amelia addressed Sylvia now. The hotel is run by Svetlana Petroskaya. She's a terrible person. She fired Martha and I think she'd like to see me squished."
Sylvia squinched up her face. "What happened to M. Sprüngli then?"
"Svetlana used Gregorio's power to take over the hotel." Martha explained.
"She did? I can't remember that?" Amelia asked.
Martha suddenly realized that Gregorios must have messed with Amelia's mind too. "I guess I have to explain that to you, but not now. We better get out of here before Svetlana finds us."
"Good idea." Amelia agreed. "How about you, Sylvia?"
"I guess I better look for another hotel then. If that Svetlana is such a terrible person." Sylvia shook Martha's and Amelia's hand. "Thank you for the warning and thank you for rescuing me. Let's ge out of here."
"You're welcome!" Martha replied.
"Good cue! Let's get out of here before Svetlana finds us." Amelia replied. Martha agreed and all three hurried out of the hotel.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Codeword: Salvation
Part 3A: hippo2.deviantart.com/art/Fore…
Part 5C: hippo2.deviantart.com/art/Fore…
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Comments: 2
There's a logic error that perhaps is just Martha's hangup. Just because Martha restores these victims does not automatically grant them a free wish. Only she can decide that they gain mastery at that point and there's no in universe requirement for it. So she really doesn't or shouldn't have to worry about them being made. She granted the wish to the mouse people's mother before knowing how she's react. But she explicitly granted that wish. She didn't make that explicit grant here. So why did Martha think she had to worry about Sylvia. Even Sylvia seemed to understand she had some ability to punish Martha. It was very weird.
Also, a native English proofreader would make this easier to read.
only a blind _person_ wouldn't see it.
I'll (or I will) see what I can do
rethink friendship, not overthink
I guess I have to explain that _to_ you
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You're right about granting or not granting wishes to the persons she rescued. It's rather Martha's hangup here. She was locked away for saving two of her victims. Now, her perception is influenced by that bad experience.
About the proofreader, you are right. My old proofreader doesn't send me any new text anymore. So I'm happy for all help I can get.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0