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Once upon a time there was MAGIC
It once flowed through the land like the wind, grew like the grass underfoot and traversed multiple mountain ranges.
Before it became barren, this land was lush and full of life. And here lived a multitude of magical creatures that lived in harmony with humans.
This ancient land was called Mirac.
Then the Empire attacked
Fire and bombs destroyed the earth, trees were cut down to build Noble castles, and the magical creatures were enslaved.
Thus birthed the Empire’s most powerful weapon; the Genie.
Born of a Dinji and Fairy, Genies were able to be commanded and their powers harnessed against their will.
Wishes.
They granted wishes, three of them.
And so Genies became the most powerful beings in existence, dressed in golden shackles, they were mocked by their kin for being traitors and by humans for being pets.
Soon enough, magic disappeared; taking the magical creatures with it. All that was left were the Genies, trapped in their lamps and necklace chains.
But after a civil war that separated the country into states, the Genies were lost as well.
Whether the magic reclaimed them or they were buried alive in their gilded prisons, we’ll probably never know. . .
~~~
Black hooves thundered against the golden earth, sand flying in clouds behind them. They say that the desert sand is poor man’s gold. They say that the ancient magic seeped into the infertile soil and could be seen in the violent thrashing waves of desert storms. Who was they? Probably some lunatic on wild cave mushrooms who looks to the sky for answers. He’d never know the answer and stopped looking for it years ago.
But somehow he’d ended up looking for another question that most likely won’t have an answer.
They stopped in front of an oasis; its water was bluer than the blazing sky. He jumped down from the leather saddle, and patted the brown horse’s behind. Taking off his red head scarf he crouched down by the water’s edge, scooping water onto the back of his neck and face. He sighed, his head tilted up to the sky, droplets of sweat and water littered his forehead; a palm leaf’s shadow covered his eyes from the blistering sun. Staying in his crouched position he grabbed a pot out of his saddle bag and filled the pot with the lake water whilst Ace, his horse drank.
Jason knew better than to drink water from a stationary source, it had been drilled into him from a young age. The water bubbled away as he sat scowering his map and compass. The treasure he sought should be nearby, if it was real in the first place.
After their short rest, they continued their journey; the midday sun raged over their heads. It was nearing sunset when they reached their destination.
The massive expanse of sand retreated, leaving only patches in the stone and hardened clay ground. Splintering leafless trees were a monotone grey, a welcome break from the burnt oranges and sandy beiges. Their branches broken, along with their spines from a previous quake or storm. Ace’s hooves clacked on the stone, loose rocks skidded, some even falling down the drought cracks.
The tree’s corpses were uprooted by the land’s divide. The canyon was small in length but still split the entire valley in two. One could theorise that the lack of sand on this platoon could be due to the canyon being a drain of sorts. Maybe if one were to jump, they’d land softly below. Jason could see one man who thought this, his rotting body was speared by three stone stalagmites; but bugs and birds would have feasted on him long before he died.
Tying Ace to the sturdiest stump in the tree graveyard, he tied his excess rope around his middle with a bowline and began his descent; he wanted to be out before darkness descended upon them. Ace neighed his disapproval but his owner continued into the crack’s depths.
Jagged roots that had split stone in search for water scratched at him, pulling at his clothes like beggars pleading for sustenance. His palms were wrapped in rags but his fingers remained free and articulate enough to have a sturdy grasp on the sheer cliff-face. He managed to lower himself enough to reach a small shelf in the sediment layers.
He shuffled along, the shadow of the unexposed canyon fell upon him. Surely this was a fools quest. Jason knew that, but some crazy old bat had beat it into him to “Always complete the mission, unless you’re dead or dying.”
There was a crevasse where the two sides joined, could it even be considered a cave? Jason scoffed, ‘someone needs to check their prescription.’
He pressed his back against the other rock wall and hooked his right leg in the hole. Swinging his head through the crevasse; if he thought it was dark before, it was even darker now.
He felt around his pant pocket for his sun stones. They wrangled in sizes from a fingernail to the palm of a hand. The stone glowed warmly, it showed that this crevasse was a cave, bigger than what the naked eye could see from outside.
He saw no markings, no cave drawings, no pedestals, no treasure; nothing that made it seem that an ancient secret was stored here. He sighed and jumped down from his ledge, ‘just complete the mission’ he repeated in his head. He walked to the end of the cavern, clearing every nook and cranny.
Nothing, nada, zilch.
He spun around on the heel of his boot, whistling. He was so gonna rub this in Damian’s face.
But a red glint caught his eye. Curses reverberated around the room. Damn Damian was going to be so smug.
The glint came from a fallen boulder that was directly under the ledge he sat upon before. He looked between the gap, yup, it looked lamp shape. He pulled the small boulder towards him and it rolled a fraction before he resorted to wiggling it until he could fit his arm through and grasp the metal.
When he pulled it out he was shocked. It was completely unscathed; well except for a few scratches. His gaze turned to the rock, he felt along the side that should’ve crushed the lamp. The lamp had left an imprint in the stone.
His fingers trailed down the smooth body of the lamp. It was made of a red metal, maybe some sort of copper alloy? It had some black smudges or were there scratches? His thumb rubbed along that to see if he could rid this artifact of this imperfection.
Light erupted from the lamp and floated out of his hand. The cavern was filled with a rose gold glow. He covered his eyes with one arm and went for his sword with the other. A tendril of pink light knocked the blade from his hand and pushed him back. The breath was knocked out of him and he had no energy to move. He could only sit, slouched against the wall, watching the light grow bigger.
A black silhouette appeared in the middle of the light. Arms stretched up high, he heard joints popping. When the light dissipated it revealed a lady, or maybe she was an adolescent? Her face was youthful and eyes were a vibrant blue. She wore a red halter top with white translucent off the shoulder butterfly sleeves.
His vision swam and he felt something touch his shoulder. “Hey, are you ok?” Her voice is muffled in his ears. He could barely make out her face through his blurry vision before he blacked out.
He couldn’t tell what time it was. His sun stone was on the floor next to him, dimmer than before but still lit up the room. His head felt light and his body warm, not things he usually felt when camping out in the desert. He looked down to find himself wrapped in a cotton blanket and there was a silk pillow behind his head. Both were embroidered with flowers and bugs.
“Are you awake?”
He went for his sword, not there. He went for his knife, not there. He glared at the person in front of him, who had dropped a linen bag full of his weapons on the floor.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” She crouched down in front of him, showing him her bare palms. “But holy kwami, how many knives does one deed?”
His eyes narrowed, glaring at her. “Who are you,” he gruffly questioned.
“I am your genie, Master.” She smiled at him but he saw it was forced.
“Why are you calling me Master?” That word felt rotten and vile, it made him want to vomit.
She tilted her head in confusion, her smile melting off her face. Her lips parted as she tried to form a coherent explanation. “You rubbed the lamp right?” Jason nodded, “I am the genie of that lamp, and you are my Master.” Her last word was strained, her voice cracking.
“Cut the Master crap.” She looked taken aback, her blue eyes stared widely at him. He flicked his chin up at her, “What’s your name.”
“Marinette.”
They sat in silence, both observing each other.
“You’re different from what I expected.”
“It’s a mix o’ disbelief and annoyance.” He ran a hand down his face. Damian was gonna be so goddamn smug.
“May I ask your name and why you’re here?”
“Jason. I’m the Commander of Nanda Parbat's Army. My mission was to follow up on the rumours of an ancient genie and investigate if it was real.”
“Well!” Marinette hollowly chuckled, “You found me. Did the rumours tell you of the rules?” He raised his eyebrow but said nothing. “The first thing you need to know is my magic is able to create and I can’t directly destroy things. One, I will not revive the dead, it's a horrible thing to witness. Two, love spells are a no, I cannot control humans. And three, never wish to become a genie.”
He whistled in response to which she gave him a quizzical look, her hair falling on her face. He stood up and reached a hand out to her to help her up, she flinched before accepting. He peaked out of the cave entrance and it was daybreak, “Let’s get out of here.”
“Oh wait!” She hurriedly picked up her lamp and hooked it on the waistband of her loose black and red pants. She grasped his hand and he pulled her up to the ledge.
Curiosity got the better of him. “What’s that made o’ anyways?” Nodding at the lamp. Each side had three black smudged dots.
She looked down at the lamp and tilted it up. In the sun he could see not only it wasn’t anywhere near the orangey bronze colour of copper, it was a glittering garnet red that looked to swirl in the light.
“It’s made of Miraculium,” she coughed, clearing her throat. “It has magical properties.”
He pulled her close to him, his dark eyes looking down at her. “Yea’ I noticed that afta the lamp dented the boulder.” He says with a hint of disbelief.
He loosened the rope around his waist and guided her to hold onto his back, he fastened a harness around both of them. “Jump up on my back.” Marinette hooked her arms around his neck, which was a feat in itself since he was over a head taller than her. She swung her legs around his middle, anchoring her legs so he could move without holding her.
She leaned over his shoulder and looked at him, “You know. . .” Her words trailed off, “I could teleport us out of here.”
He began shuffling them along the canyon’s shelf, “Can you do that without me usin’ a wish?”
“Um no?”
“Then forget it.”
Soon enough they were back riding across the desert with the blazing sun hovering above them. He further explained his role within the Viceroy’s Palace and the importance that her true identity is kept hidden.
“It seems like you humans haven’t changed much.”
Although he said no words, Jason wholeheartedly agreed.
~~~~~
Whispers erupted as they rode through the street.
“Who is that with Commander Todd?”
”Ooo maybe he arrested someone.”
”I’d like him to arrest me!”
“Nima! Shush! He’ll hear you! He hears everything! That’s how he became such a great Commander.”
Mari leaned closer to the man in front of her, “Are you hearing this?” She whispered, rolling her eyes. She was glad that he had acquired a hooded coat for her, she could only imagine the bachelor Commander returning with a mysterious woman on his horse.
Well as fate would have it when they reached the palace, Jason jumped off the horse first and held her waist to help her down. Annnnnnd that’s when her hood fell down.
Onlookers watched as the Commander’s passenger was revealed. Dark blue hair spilled out of the coat, she smiled nervously at the man below her before he helped her feet to settle on the ground. Her pale face smiled up at him and everyone in the surrounding area held their breath.
Jason Todd, known as the youngest ever Commander of Nanda Parbat. He was also known as a ticking time-bomb. With his explosive temper no one knew what would set him off next. Last time it was a street woman smiling up at him whilst grabbing at his arm.
Seeing everyones’ eyes on them, Marinette hooked her arms through Jason’s and pressed her body against him. He looked at her quizzically. Standing on her tiptoes he whispered in his ear, “You wanted me to hide my identity right? So play along~”
They walked down the paved pathway, palm trees and people lined up in rows to watch them. They winded through the many hallways, no tapestries and paintings decorated the walls. They reached a room that looked fancier than the others. Jason pushed open the door and escorted her in.
“My room.” He rumbled, his voice sounding tired after a long day of travelling and adventuring.
His room was minimalistic but not as bare as the halls. Shelves with trinkets, walls hung with red and grey tapestries decorated the room. It had a pair of giant windows with a balcony that overlooked the garden and a dark wood desk, piled with paper in the corner. His large bed had a mahogany bookshelf embedded into the wall next to it.
She released his arm and walked towards the books and ran her hand along some of the spines. She smiled, “You like to read?” She asked rhetorically, not bothering to turn around. His collection was from multiple countries, empires and languages; Greek, Roman, English and more.
“They’re good for burnin’.” Marinette scoffed at his reply, turning to face him with her arms crossed and pouting. She had never acted like this around one of her masters. Maybe it had been so long she had forgotten her discipline? Screw it she’d enjoy this until she got punished, he hasn’t reprimanded her once, she was living the dream.
“I’ve gotta go report back to Their Majesties about my mission, I’ll be back soon.” He looked back at her before the door closed, “Stay put. I’ll send a maid to run you a bath and give you something else to wear.”
An auburn haired maid came minutes after and introduced herself as Lian. She guided Marinette into Jason’s private bathroom where a steaming tub sat in wait. Lian then excused herself while Mari undressed before reappearing to wash the Genie’s hair.
“I’ve never had someone wash my hair before.” Marinette mumbled to the quiet room, the only noise was water droplets falling from her soaked hair.
“Not even your mother?” Lian questioned and that brought a smile to Marinette’s face. Imagining her Dinji mother, who was the form of a red beetle the size of a baby hippo, trying to wash her hair.
“No,” She chuckled. “My mother was never able to.”
“Apologies!” The young maid bowed her head, cheeks flushing from embarrassment.
“No need, Ms Lian.”
The girl’s black eyes widened as she stuttered, “No need to address me formally Madam Marinette! I am just a maid.”
The bluenette spun around, leaning her forearms on the tub’s side. She looked up at Lian with dazzling blue eyes, “Even maids deserve respect and simple pleasures.”
~~~~~
“Patrol of the Western border was clean. No recent riots in towns and the epidemic seems to be under control.”
“Good work Todd.” Prince Damian smirked down at him. He sat on his gilded throne, the Viceroy’s throne that was next to his, sat empty. The fifteen year old prince had been given reign over revising the courtesan's reports. “Did you find it, Todd?”
“No,” he paused. Why had he lied, there was no one else with them. He cleared his throat before turning to leave, he looked back at the prince who was now frowning. Jason grinned, Demonspawn couldn’t be smug if he didn’t know. “I found something better.”
He returned to his room to find Marinette already fast asleep. . . But she was on the floor, curled into a fetal position to keep warm against the cold desert night. He had lived here for years and still got whiplash from the weather’s moodiness, he couldn’t imagine what it’s like for someone who had been here for less than a day.
His muscles screamed for reprieve, he was on the verge of collapse. He ignored his body and reached down to pick up the small genie.
She was too light. Made of paper bones and porcelain skin; fragile but he knew she could be dealt if held wrong, or if she was held in the wrong hands.
He tucked her into bed. What was he going to do with her? He’s harbouring a Magical Creature. He could use her for her wishes then hand her over to the Demon Prince, but then Damian would know that he lied. He could easily beat up that kid but what would happen to the civilians of Nanda Parbat? They wouldn’t survive uninjured from Damian’s fury.
He grabbed another pillow from his bed along with the doona and made himself comfortable on the floor. He looked up at the bed, yes, she can stay for the night.
A few months later. . .
“Bringin’ yer woman to battle, Jay? ‘re ya that needy for a lay?” The ginger haired guard cackled with a few other guys. They rode on their horses off to the right and have been quiet up until now.
“She is needed on the frontier, Roy.” Marinette felt Jason’s voice reverberate from his chest as she held onto him from behind.
“Yeah! By you!”
They reached the army camp by dusk and set up their battalion's tents. Jason finally returned to the camp he had lived in for the previous two years before he was called back to the capital to sooth civilian riots. Now he was back in the South with reinforcements, this war will turn in Nanda Parbat’s favour.
They looked over the map that had figurines of the enemy and allied soldier’s positions. There was a significant presence of enemy forces in a small mountain range, most likely looking to have a geographical advantage.
They discussed between each other points Jason could bring up to the battalion leaders during tomorrow’s meeting. Their yawns kept interrupting them and they both silently agreed this could wait until tomorrow, or was it already today? They were too tired to care.
After more than a month of arguing who should take the bed, both stated the other should. Marinette would try to sleep on the floor but always awoke back in bed. Her argument that he should get the bed became even stronger when she discovered he was a potential heir to Nanda Parbat’s throne. Finally she convinced him that they could share the bed. They didn’t even consider having separate rooms as that would look suspicious for the couple who were ‘joined at the hip’.
When morning came they both were horrified by the state of the camp that they didn’t see due to the darkness of their arrival. Many soldiers were injured and didn’t go to treat them as the medic was already overrun by other soldiers with critical conditions.
Burns, bruises, cuts, stabs, fractures, infections, concussions, amputations. Soldiers writhing in agony in an alley of tents away from their Captains so that they didn’t have to be in the deadly silence of the medic tent. The single frazzled medic ran from bed to bed, only providing bandages and alcohol for pain and disinfectant.
Grass green eyes looked up and through their frizzy red hair. They shot up, stepping over bodies with a wide smile to greet her visitors. She stuck out her hand, “Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley.”
Jason shook her hand, looking around the room. “What’s happening here? It wasn’t like this when I left.”
“Oh,” Pamela looked around the room, her wide teeth bared smile was a constant. “The former doctor was neglecting his duties so I had to step up. I have applied multiple times for an assistant or a better care kit but so far I’ve gotten no response.” She said through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry, were you injured anywhere? As you can see I'm swamped.”
It became clear that the doctor thought this was some inspection or audit of her skills and the effort she put into her job. Marinette waved her hands in front of herself, “No, no. We’re ok, we were just checking in on all the support departments.” She grabs Jason’s arm, “We’ll make sure your requests are heard.”
She dragged Jason outside. “Marinette—” she spun around, he nodded towards his arm, she sputtered and let go. “I think I know my first wish.”
She looked up at him with big eyes, it had been months of her pestering him every few days about a wish. “Yes?” She leaned forward in wait for his words.
“I think it would be good to heal all the soldiers in the camp.”
Marinette’s eye twitched, ‘Be calm, be calm Mari. this is what genies have to put up with.’
“Maaaaybeeee instead of that,” she pressed her palms together. “You could wish for better medicinal practices in Nanda Parbat? And then you could—”
She slammed a hand over her mouth. She had gotten too comfortable, last time she made a suggestion to a Master, they didn’t take it well.
‘You’re just a beast’s daughter! What ideas could you give me?’ She shivered at the memory. She avoided his gaze and flinched at his touch. He moved her hand that was covering her mouth, he bent down and his greyish-blue eyes met hers.
“Continue.”
She breathed deeply and sighed. “If you wish for better medical practices it will help more people in the long run. Yes, if you heal all the soldiers, what are you going to do when they get hurt again? After medicinal practices have been improved we can hire new doctors to help Dr Isley. This is war, Commander, I think you know it’s better to take the longer but more safe route.”
He clicked his tongue. It reminded her of Prince Damian, they were more like brothers than they cared to admit to anyone.
“Good.” She shook herself out of her thoughts of brotherhood and raised her eyebrow.
“Wait—” She shook her head. “—Was that a test?”
For the first time since she met him, he gave her a wide smile showing his teeth. He laughed, “What do you think?”
She was dumbfounded.
“Marinette,” he whispered. “I wish for Nanda Parbat’s medicinal practices to improve.”
‘Genie! I wish for more crates filled with gold!’
She smiled, “As you wish.” Her eyes flashed a neon blue and a gust of wind exploded from her. It didn’t knock Jason over but he was startled by it, but as he looked around no one else seemed to be affected by it. His gaze turned back to the genie, the neon dimming from her eyes.
That was the first time he truly felt magic. It wasn’t like a desert storm that pounded the earth, it was a refreshing gust of wind.
Before he could poster the subject more, the girl in front of him collapsed. “Marinette!” The girl didn’t show any form of response to his cry. “Mari!”
When she awoke it was dark. The moonlight made the white tarp walls glow. It was a beautiful sight in the silence that was this night. Too warm. She pulled the tunic she wore over her head, panting. She must’ve become rusty from not using her magic for over a century.
“Marinette go!” Her father cried pulling at his chains, her mother clicked her agreement.
“No! I won’t leave you here! She pulled at their chains, her maman had less due to her being in beetle form but they still would budge. Chains made out of miraculium. Magic vs magic. They were betrayed by something created for them to harness for peace.
Her father grabbed her lamp in his hands. “Three dot’s Mari! Your mother says they mean life, you’ve got to live but not like this!” He shouted over the approaching soldiers' footsteps. He rubbed the lamp, her blue eyes that she inherited from him glowed as he became the new owner of her lamp. “I wish for you and the lamp to be hidden—“ the door to the pen was broken and she couldn’t hear the rest of his wish. “—I command you!”
She could not disobey a direct command. Her eyes glowed blue as her hands raised, she screams internally for the wish to stop. Tears rushed down her face as pink light surrounded her and the lamp. She chokingly sobbed out her goodbyes to her parents but was gone before she could hear their cries of their love for her.
She pulled the blankets up to her chest, she felt the cold on her bare back. Her parents had saved her from the cycle of masters they witnessed other genies go through. She can’t even go back for them now; she’s still bound to Jason and they’ve surely been reclaimed by the magic by now.
The tent flap moved and Jason appeared carrying a tray of food and water. He rushed to her side asking if she was ok. She shooed him away, stating that she was just a bit out of practice and would be fine next time. He helped her drink as her limbs still tingled with numbness.
He told her what she had missed in the days that she remained unconscious. The wish had taken immediate effect and they hired two more doctors to help Dr Isley; Dr. Harleen Quinzel and a nurse by the name of Dinah Lance.
She swallowed wrong at hearing this; she swiftly turned away from him and began coughing her lungs out. He patted her back and she soon settled down. He traced a finger down her spine and she shivered at his touch. He looked down at her bare skin; black, grey and silver lines shimmered on her back. He had heard of and seen many tribal tattoos but these looked similar to insect wings.
“My wings.” She broke the silence.
“Tell me about them.” She turned back around and shifted so he could join her on the mattress.
“Well. . .” She looked off to the side. “I am the result of a joke amongst our human captors. If there is a god they’ll have to beg for my forgiveness after what they’ve done. My father was the largest fairy and my mother, who was a dinji. She was a red beetle dinji, about the size of a giant tortoise.” She gestured the size with her weak arms. She turned back to look at her companion. “Please don’t ask the specifics of how I came to be from that union. Although they are my parents, I do not even want to think about it.”
He chuckled, the light fell on his face and she stared at him. When had he changed from the gruff guy from the cave with seventeen knives (yes she counted).
“All genies have some sort of imprint from their parents. Mine is the image of their wings.” She took a breath. “It gives me hope that one day I’ll be free.”
The next morning they were riding out again. Their reinforcement battalion were swapping with a battalion that’s been stationed on the frontier. Jason and their leader shook hands and discussed details. An arrow soared through the air and landed, embedded deep into the dirt road.
“Take cover!” Jason commanded and the soldiers fled into the trees. The south was still arid and sandy but had more tropical storms and oasis that eventually became a forest. Now the southern state of the empire wanted this land to become more prosperous.
A barrage of around landed right where they stood moments ago. Some arrows were flaming and caught the surrounding plants on fire. Both allied and enemy battalions charged. It was a slaughter with no clear winner. The enemy soldiers, who wore yellow were numerous while Nanda Parbet, who wore black, were more highly skilled.
“Fire!” Men on both sides shouted whether they meant shooting weapons or the growing blaze was unclear in this chaos. Marinette stayed out of the way and under a tree. Jason had given her a poisoned dagger to defend herself. And although she couldn’t use her magic on herself she wasn’t completely defenceless.
As the battle just got more out of hand it became clear that they were losing. “Jason,” Marinette cried as she joined in on the battle defending his flank. “What do you want to do?”
“Is it too soon to make another wish?” He blocked an oncoming sword and flicked the weapon out of the yellow guard’s hand. Jason raised his left arm and fired off his crossbow, impaling the guy’s heart.
“Go for it!”
“I wish for anythin’ that will help us.”
“Are you sure you want to make a blank wish?” She spat, slashing her knife down someone’s face and grabbing three arrows out of the air. “Are you sure you can live with the consequences?”
“I trust your judgement!” He yelled, fighting in a three vs one.
“As you wish!” Her eyes glowed and she dropped her dagger, making her way over to where most of the enemy troops were gathered. “Jason!” He squinted at her, blood from a cut on his forehead running into his eye. “Call a retreat now!”
He blew his horn and the allied troops began to back away from the fight and return the horses and caravans. Pink light gathered around her and the forest exploded into an inferno. Screams and the stench of melting flesh filled the air. Bodies began to drop to the forest’s floor, both allied and enemy, mainly enemy.
They reconvened back at camp and the three medics rushed out to assess the damage. Barely over half the troop they had at that position survived the attack and were still standing, more were knocked down and being treated.
“Commander!” Two men rushed up carrying a man on a stretcher, “Roy’s hurt!”
Panic pierced his heart as he saw one of his oldest friends and comrades lying there defenceless.
Dr Quinzel examined the ginger. Burns covered his left arm, parts had even become black and burnt from the heat. The blonde looked up at them grimly, “We’ll have to amputate if we want any hope of his survival.”
He solemnly nodded and turned his eyes away. “Do what you must.”
He stayed by Roy’s bedside for days; Marinette had to force him to sleep. Meetings with the leaders continued with an empty chair to Jason’s right. Some good that came from this was many other enemy battalions were retreating as their larges squadron was decimated by the blast.
One day, what everyone was waiting for with held breaths ever since Marinette was seen by his side happened. He blew up.
“Why didn’t you tell me this could happen?” He bellowed, they were in a clearing outside of camp but some soldier bathing in a nearby creek could overhear them.
“I warned you that there would be consequences!”
Their yelling continued until Dinah, the camp’s nurse, came and broke them up. She scolded them saying it was no one’s fault and it could’ve happened to anyone.
Those words didn’t apply here, the feuding couple thought. One had made the wish and the other had granted it. Marinette gasped and her eyes glowed, Jason and Dinah paused.
And Marinette was gone in a flash of pink light.
~~~~~
“At first I wondered.” Talia’s voice cut through the large expanse of the room. “Why would a girl from the desert have access to an ancient weapon and not use it? But when my sources told me you were the genie I was intrigued.”
“My first wish is to revive my father!”
“I already told you I cannot revive people from the dead.” Marinette yelled back, stem rising from her ears as she tugged on her chains.
“I wish for you to revive my father, I command you!”
“Not now Damian!” Jason rushed past his brother, who had greeted him at the palace steps. He had rode Ace here in under four hour, which was probably a world record for that distance but there was no time for games.
“I’m not dumb Todd! You did find the genie.”
Jason stumbled looking down at the Prince. “. . .How do you know that?”
“How do you think?” Jason’s eyes widened and his rushed pace became a full sprint, he changed directions from his room to the grand hall. Damian still kept up but seemed to have no intention to stop him. “You found her, loved her and now lost her. . . I bet you wish you didn’t.”
He further explained how Lian the maid had found the lamp in Marinette’s belongings and took it, as it seemed important. His mother had gotten a secret telegram from the frontlines; it detailed Marinette and a fiery explosion that happened out of nowhere after a retreat was called. The guards first searched Jason’s and Marinette’s room, tearing up the walls and floor before interrogating all the staff. Finally the lamp was found hidden in a hold under Lian’s mattress.
“And that’s when mother got her hands on it.” They reached the imposing doors to the grand hall.
They broke past the guards and into the hall to find the deceased Viceroy Ra Al Ghul standing before Marinette with her lamp in his grey hands. “It's good to be back.” His voice sounded like he had gargled gravel and glass.
“So you’re the genie I was looking for for seventy years.” He snarled, leaning down on Mari who collapsed on the floor. “Don’t bother with your speech, I already know what I want.
“First I want to be immortal and second I would like the power to rival genies like you.” His tooth grin was filled with blackened and decaying teeth.
Marinette looked over at Jason and Damian, who both yelled out for Ra to stop and for Marinette not to listen to him. Her eyes flashed a vibrant blue, they had mere seconds to act. They both rushed at Ra, aiming for the lamp to stop the wish.
“I command you!” He bellowed and light erupted for Marinette.
But instead of crying she smirked, “As you wish.”
~~~~
Marinette sat under the newly installed garden fountain, watching as bugs moved throughout the plants. The statue on top of the marble stone was of Ra Al Ghul, and warned people what happens when they mess with magic.
“Why do you like bugs so much? I thought girls like you were meant to be terrified of them.” Damian interrupted her silence and sat down next to him. She shot a glare his way, as she turned back to watch the flowers sway in the wind.
"I see my papa in the dragonflies and my maman in the beetles.” She finally said
"Oh,” Damian paused, not expecting that answer. He tilted his head at her, “Would you like me to get an enclosure so you can see them every day?"
Her laugh was hollow and bitter, she forced a smile that probably looked more like a grimace. “And what?” She almost snarled at him, but his innocent question didn’t deserve her rage. “Trap them like my kin were for centuries? No, not even insects deserve that.”
Damian muttered his apologies from fleeing the garden, rushing by Jason on his way out.
Jason raised an eyebrow and she sighed, her anger replaced by guilt. “What was that about?”
“Damian tried doing something nice but I got emotional about my parents and the enslaved Magical Creatures, so I lashed out at him!” She dragged her hands down her face, the pinks of her bottom eyelids showing.
Jason shushed her and took both her hands in his, helping her up. They stood among the many exotic flowers that managed to thrive in this barren country.
He mumbled something to her that she couldn’t quite catch so she asked him to repeat.
“I wanted it to be you.”
She scrunched her brows and gazed up at him, face flooded with confusion. “Wanted what to be me?”
“My last wish, I wanted it to be you. Your freedom.” His hand brushed away a stray have from her pink cheek.
She spluttered as her brain finally processed his words, all she could reply with was, “HUH?”
He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers cradling her jaw in his hands. “I’m sorry. Am I going too fast? Or do you not want this?”
“No no!” She reassured him, trying to regain her composure. Finally she took a deep breath of his scent, and closed her eyes. “Do you still have the lamp?”
“Yes.”
She opened her eyes and nuzzled into his palm. “Then make your wish Master~” She teased, a wide grin painted on her face.
“As you wish.”