I woke up on my couch to the sound of singing. There were no actual words, just la-la-la's. However, the singing was filled with a type of carefree happiness that I just could not explain. I sat up. Recall of everything that had happened before I had fallen asleep instantly hit me like a train. Melody. Melody was a genie. Melody was a genie with powers, both physical and metaphysical. Woah. Starting to rise, my foot got caught on a loose couch cover and I tumbled to the floor. Melody's head poked from around the corner.
"I see you're awake, Master." She spoke, giggling. I untangled myself from my shame and stood up hastily.
"That didn't happen," I said, looking away sheepishly.
She giggled softly, then replied, "My lips are sealed, Master."
I still had so many questions, but I had no idea where to begin. I sat down again. Before I could make a sound though, Melody said something first.
"You know Master, I still don't actually know your name. Or really anything about you to start with."
That took me by surprise. "Wait, what?" I asked, puzzled. "My all-powerful mystical genie doesn't even know a simple piece of information like my name?" She pushed me over.
"It's different with you, Master. It's up to you as to what pieces of information that you, personally, choose to share with me. Actually, it is even your decision as to what information I should know about in general. While I may possess abilities regarding the obtaining of information, it is entirely up to you how I should use, handle, or even remember that information."
"So like, if I asked you to learn something, then wished for you to forget it, that would happen?"
"Correct. You are in control of every aspect of me. You are my Master after all."
I pondered this. Then I spoke. "Jason."
"I'm sorry?" She said.
"My name is Jason Surge." I said again. While I was at it, might as well just introduce myself. "I'm twenty years old, and I'm currently in my third year of college at the University of South Central Florida."
"Nice to meet you umm, Jason. I'm, well, Melody," She said, smiling. However, I could see that she looked slightly uncomfortable. I sighed inwardly. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but I just felt so...
inadequate
. Her presence just made my capability for thoughts feel like scrabble letters that were in a bag that was being shaken. I felt this way around a lot of girls, but Melody most definitely took it to the max. A slight tingle resonated throughout my head. Confused, I looked up. Melody was frowning at me with sad eyes. "Jason," She said. "Please don't take my lack of comfort with who you are, personally. Ironically, it's because I did not expect such a person as you to exist. To even fathom that the master that I was destined to be with was one that would treat me as an equal... that is an idea that I would have laughed at before meeting you. My discomfort stems from simply calling you by name rather than your proper title." She paused. When I didn't say anything, she continued.
"I know that you believe that you are not good enough to make friends or attract females, but that is not so. In fact, that is almost as far from the truth that it can get. As a genie with powers beyond your comprehension, I can tell you with absolute certainty that many girls find you attractive, both physically and character-wise. Even now." I looked up. That couldn't be right at all. If that was true, then why was it that I had so few friends? Why was I getting picked on constantly by people that I didn't even know?
"Actually, while this might be hard to believe, quite a lot of guys that actively bully you are in fact jealous of the way you look. I can tell you myself that if I was put in another woman's shoes, I would not feel uncomfortable around you at all. In fact, you are rather pleasant to be around. You put yourself down too far. Of course, there is the problem with this Matthew Sullivan guy, but your lack of friends is only partly affected by his campus presence. It seems like there's something else that's getting in the way of you and your self-confidence-"
"You actually haven't completely shared with me what you're capable of as a genie." I said, cutting her off hastily. I was afraid that she would read further down into me. If what she was saying was the truth, it was possible that she might have been leading towards
that. That
was not something that I was ready to dig out and share with her about. There was still too much pain. She knew that I was changing the subject. However, she only gave me a sad look but didn't push it any further.
She waited for about ten seconds. Then she spoke. "Well, first of all, as you experienced already, I am capable of protecting your body from harm. That includes lethal or non-lethal diseases, pathogens, and infections."
"Would it be possible to rid me of all possible harmful germs now then? Excluding those I need to keep functioning normally." Melody's eyes flashed gold. Instantly, I felt... healthier. I really can't explain it the change, but I know that I felt better than I had moments ago. "Is it possible to change my body?" I asked. I wasn't too fat or too skinny, but there was a layer of fat over my abs that had developed since high school and it wasn't something that I was very proud of.
Melody looked at me strangely. There was another tingle in my head.
"Ah." She said. Her eyes flashed gold again, and my body began to change. The layer of fat over my abs disappeared, revealing a very nicely defined six-pack. My arms and legs grew a little bit bigger and well defined with muscles, and my chest increased in size. I felt great. Stronger. More capable of doing things that I would have been able to before. I checked myself out in the mirror. The change was
incredible
. It was how I
should
have looked like. Well, at least it was the way that I had always imagined myself to want to look like. That made me a little curious.
"How do you keep doing that? Does it have anything to do with the tingle I keep feeling in my head?" I asked.
"Very good," She replied. "Yes Master, that feeling represents every time I am inside of your head to retrieve information. Speaking of which, it is possible for me to communicate with you through such means. If you think something with the intention of sending it to me, then I will receive it and communicate back to you."
Like this?
I thought.
Loud and clear master,
I heard Melody's voice ring in my head. It sounded beautiful even in my head.
"Okay," I said. "So healing and telepathy. Got it. What else?"
"Well of course there's the wish-making part, with given restrictions," she said. "You can wish for anything except for anything world changing. You also cannot wish away the existence of a living being. That is not a genie's call to make."
