I have a jinn now. Not sure if you’ve heard. She seems to be an artificially constructed jinn of sorts? She comes with a manual—well, I had to wish for the manual, but there is a manual, and she comes with certain rules.

The cool rule is that if I grant her wishes I get more wishes in turn.

This isn’t something she knew about. The idea that someone might even try to grant her wishes is new to her. The idea that someone would even let her spend non-wish-granting time outside her big novelty lamp home is new to her.

I’ve given her some time to adjust, but I don’t want to wait around forever.

“Alright, Jinn,” I say. “Have you thought of any wishes for me to try granting you?” We sit next to each other on the couch, me lounging as she sits up straight.

“Well, I was thinking what you said about names,” she says. “I like the name Junia, if you want to call me that.”

“Of course, Junia,” I say. “Whatever name you wish.” I look at the lamp. A smoky four is displayed on the side, but it doesn’t change. “I guess that’s not really a wish, though?”

“Not really,” she says. “You just looked uncomfortable only calling me Jinn.”

“Fair enough,” I say. “Junia for now. Have you actually thought of a wish, though?”

“Maybe,” she says. “It’s really annoying to dust in inside my lamp, it’s really cramped. I suppose I do wish someone else could clean it.”

I freeze as the gears in my head turn. Not yet, though.

“Do you mind if we stick a pin in that for now? I’d like to see your place sometime, though.”

“Of course, mas— I mean, of course.”

“Honestly,” I say, “I have a horribly self-indulgent idea, but I want to wait for that. So, for now, any other ideas?”

“I’ve been thinking about some of the stuff my previous—previous ones have wished for,” Junia says. “Most of it isn’t really doable, but one did once ask for a massage. It looked nice, and I guess I did wish I could try it.”

“Oh? Er. What kind of massage?”

“Oh, like a back massage,” Junia says. I give her a thumbs up.

“Alright! I’ve never done one, but we can give it a try!”

I cleared off my spare bed for Junia the day we met, but she didn’t feel right sleeping outside her lamp. Nevertheless now she lay forward on it, her smoky tail curling among the ornate bed frame, and I reached down to—

I stared at the sweater I’d gifted her. How should I do this?

“Okay,” I say, “I guess a little of like—” I reach under the sweater and press my hands into her back. She feels solid, but with a soft fuzz that almost feels like if I pushed too hard she would collapse into smoke. She sighs, but I soften the massage.

“Ooh, that does feel nice,” Junia says. “Don’t let up, do it firmer.”

“Ah—sure thing,” I say. I hope I don’t cause her to collapse, but despite the odd half-solid sensation she holds up under the increased pressure of the massage. I move up towards her shoulders. She sighs and giggles.

“No, lower, move lower.” I move to her lower back, and she requests I massage even lower. I blush as I start to massage where her solid form really starts to feel more like gaseous cotton candy. I feel like I’m close to massaging her butt at this point, but she seems to enjoy it.

I hear a deep whoosh like a fire burning to life, the sound her lamp makes when the wish count changes, and I smile. I imagine it’s gone from four to five now, but I don’t say anything until Junia says she’s satisfied with the massage.

When we return I’m right. I’m up to five wishes now.

“What are you going to do with these wishes, though?” Junia asks. “I haven’t even granted you a wish outside of the manual.”

“Well, wishes are finicky things, I assume.” I shrug. “I want to not have to work at a labor job I don’t want all my life, but I’m not sure what wish is best to make that true. We gotta consider the economical factors and such.” I grin and lean forward. “Besides, I’m more interested in working out the parameters of your rules.” She flinches back.

“You have more to consider?” she asks. “I feel like the rules were laid out well in the manual.”

I have an idea. I want to push these rules to their limit.

“Tell me, Junia, do you like the sweater I gave you?”

“Oh, I do!” She hugs herself in the oversized sweater. “It’s warm and toasty.”

“Would you like one that fits you better, though?” I ask. “Or a different color?”

“None could be better than this gift you’ve given me,” she says. I deflate a little.

“I was hoping you’d have an idea for another sweater you could have.”

“Oh! I mean, more sweaters would be nice.” She smiles. “I’ve always been stuck with one outfit. I suppose having options would be nice.”

“Yeah, something new you can wear every time you come out,” I say. “That reminds me, the manual had a section on changing your appearance—but, never mind that, now. Why don’t we get you some new sweaters?”

“Wait, are you going to take me shopping?” she asks. She looks outside the window. “I’ve been in my lamp so long, the world looks so strange now. I’m a little nervous.”

“Not quite, not yet, anyway,” I say. “Why don’t we start by coming up with a sweater design you like?”

We work out the details. She admits the sweater feels rough, and she’d like one softer, fleecier. She picks out a color better complementing her skin tone. She says she still likes it being oversized, though.

Once we have a sweater designed, I smile.

I wish for her to have a sweater matching those specifications.

“Wait, what?” She shakes her palms, but they twist up as mist swirls around them. “No, no, I—I don’t want you to waste your wishes on me!”

With a ringing flash, a sweater forms in her hands. She buries her face in it and groans.

“This doesn’t feel right,” she mumbles. “I’m supposed to grant your wishes.”

I look at the lamp. I grin at the number change and fire sounds.

“Junia,” I say, “you have infinite wishes.”

She looks up from the sweater.

“Huh?” She looks at the lamp. It still reads five. “It didn’t change.”

“It did,” I say. “It changed to four.” I look at her, grin wider. “Then it went back to five. I made a wish, but in the process I granted your wish, so it gave me another wish.” I splayed out my arms. “If I wish for something you wish for, the wish count stays even!”

Junia stares at the lamp.

“Oh, goodness,” she says.

“I’ll bet old Jishfish or whatever your creator’s name was never realized that little loophole,” I say. I sit back on my couch. “I won’t pester you about the wishes for now, I know you’ve felt awkward about it, but if there is anything you want me to wish for–”

“Can you wish for a piano?” she asks. “I really enjoyed the piano concert I was privileged to see so many years ago. Oh, can you wish me a kitten? One of my previous owners had a kitten I loved, I always wanted to have one myself. Oh, you know, we could just wish for the interior of my lamp to be cleaned.”

I smile and stand up.

“You seem much more keen on this rules testing now.” I step to her and lean close. “I do have a request, actually. There is one more test I want to make. It’s a little awkward, and I want you to know you can absolutely say no because of that. If you don’t mind, though, I think it would be nice to discuss it at your place, if you don’t mind having me visit your little lamp abode.”

She smiles and nods, and she takes my hand and leads me to the lamp nozzle.