Emmett's Jeanie

Prologue

Jeanie's POV:

I was just finishing moving the last of my suitcases into the small apartment looking over the bay. I was trying something new this time, something less tropical and more scenic.....well it's actually freezing honestly. I had just settled into a small city by the name of Hoquiam, Washington. It was my first time living alone and I was nervous, excited, and so ready to be done with the moving process.

I locked my door just as I heard a small popping noise come from the main living room and a man's whistle. I had already set the apartment with restrictions as to which family members it would allow in, and I knew that whistle all too well at this point. I shook my head and let out a low playful groan as I walked into the living room to see my Uncle Gene looking around.

As always, he's wearing a Hawaiian looking shirt, long pants, no shoes, and is still sporting the goatee that he should have gotten rid of centuries ago. His slowly graying black hair is pulled into what is now being called a man bun, and though I love him with my all my heart I was in no mood for his surprise visit today.

"Well Jeanie you did pretty well on this one, didn't you?" (Uncle)

"Well I live only to impress you Uncle." (Jeanie)

"Always the little smartass. Ha, that's why you're my favorite niece." (Uncle)

"I'm also the only one that still lets you pop in whenever you want." (J)

"Eh that too I suppose. Well have you got it well hidden already then?" (Uncle)

"Ummmm yea.......totally." (J)

I saw him turn and raise an eyebrow at me before smirking. He snapped his fingers and the jewel encrusted bottle with the locked top suddenly appeared in his hand. He looked at it for a moment before looking back to me with another smirk on his face.

"Well, I suppose you can be thankful I made you put a lock on it a few decades ago." (Uncle)

"Uncle G, gimme me a break I just moved in like ten minutes ago and I had no one there to wish the unpacking to be done so I have to do it the old-fashioned way if I don't want to tire myself out by using non-wished for magic." (J)

I was baiting my uncle to wish for my unpacking to be done so I wouldn't actually have to do it the old-fashioned way. I saw his eyes twinkle a bit before he let out a loud laugh and disappeared with a slight pop appearing a few feet away, reclining on the couch.

"Oh kid you're a genie after my own heart that's for sure. I'll throw you a bone this time I guess, especially since you've done the same for me so much. I wish the unpacking was all done and to your liking so you could relax with me for a while before I leave." (Uncle)

His wish was from the heart, as it must be to grant it without being freed from the bottle, and I smiled before I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded my head to grant his wish. A few seconds later and I opened my eyes to see everything unpacked and in the exact place I wanted it. Uncle Gene laughed again and patted the seat next to him on the couch as he turned on the television. He squinted a bit before he snapped his fingers and a pair of glasses appeared on his face.

"Well let's see what these humans are up to this week huh little genie?" (Uncle)

I couldn't keep the laugh that I had been holding back at his glasses in anymore. He looked at me slightly confused as I fought to regain some amount of composure for my age but I couldn't for a few minutes.

"I didn't know you had become such an old man Uncle." (J)

"Ha! I'm only 5100. Elder Jaah is well over 8000, so if I'm old then what are you I wonder at a crisp......2442?" (Uncle)

"A spring chicken I believe." (J)

I watched as he snorted at me before he mumbled something under his breath about me being an annoying teenager still. A few snickers escaped me at that comment but I didn't say anything in return. It wasn't but an episode of some crime show later that he said he had to leave.

"I do after all have to return to Jinny today and tell her you're all moved in safely." (Uncle)

"Tell Aunt I miss her already and I love her. I love you both of course but her more." (J)

"You wound me! Who was it that freed you from the emperor that time he had you trapped in your bottle?" (Uncle)

"Who was it that used my bottle as a way to ground me throughout my first century.......and even forgot about me for a solid week before Aunt asked where I was. Who was it that once dyed my hair blond and kept it so for a decade straight after that horrid Tv series came out." (J)

I saw him open his mouth to argue but then let out a defeated noise before laughing. I offered him another glare before I finally started laughing as well. He grabbed me into a hug as we both laughed, both of us knowing who was ready for more examples and it wasn't him.

"Be careful around these humans Jeanie. Don't trust just anyone you meet, use your head first kid." (Uncle)

"Don't worry Uncle, I have no desire to spend another 200 years in that bottle. I'll be careful. Now go home to Aunt Jinny to calm her nerves." (J)

"Aye, aye captain! See you in a few weeks kiddo, and don't forget you can always reach us with a genie call." (Uncle)

I nodded and smiled before I watched as he disappeared with a slight pop. I flopped back onto the couch before I heard his projected voice tell me to lock the bottle away. I smiled a bit as I shook my head, as if a genie ever really forgets about their bottle while it exists. I had only just put it out of thought for a moment or two, but I knew he was right. I needed to get it hidden as soon as possible.

I picked it up and offered a soft glare at the thing before I popped upstairs and picked a spot on the wall to put my safe. I snapped my fingers smiling as it appeared before I opened the combination safe and placed it within it. I then placed a painting over the safe, and then moved a dresser just under the painting.

"There." (J)

Humans might view all this as way too many pre-cautions, but until you've been trapped in a bottle for nearly three centuries, they can't say anything about it really. I know that I'll be stuck with the bottle until I find the one that could free me from it forever. For my aunt and uncle, it was each other. I had another 'cousin' that was freed by a human best friend, though that was both very lucky and very risky when he did it.

It was said to be possible only by the person that fate had lead you to, the one that your heart belonged to. It could be in the form of a sibling, a lover, a best friend, even a parental figure. A genie wouldn't know until that person tried to wish them free, whether or not they were the one. Pharaoh Cleopatra, a previous master and great friend of mine once tried to wish my free to no avail. Cleo was almost more upset that she wasn't the one for me than I was.

I smiled a bit as her memory warmed my heart for a moment before I let myself out onto the balcony outside my bedroom window. It seemed that the sun was just beginning to set, though with all the cloud coverage it was hard to tell where the sun actually was. I had decided that I wanted to try and stay here for as long as possible so I claimed the identity of being an emancipated sixteen year old, starting 10th grade at the local high school tomorrow.

I was hoping that this would let me stay here for the next 2-4 years before I move on to a different location. And who knows, maybe I'll even find a reason to stay longer than that. Humans have surprised me before and it has been a while since I've made any new friends that weren't a genie or an elf. Reminds me I should probably tell Evelyn that she can move into my old place as long as her and Ginger promise not to kill each other.