The Genie’s Device

You were having a perfectly ordinary day at school until history class. Your teacher had arranged for an archaeology professor from the local college to come in and give a presentation. You spent most of the presentation joking around in the back with your friend Dennis, not paying much attention at all, when you heard a loud “clunk” from in front of you.

Glancing forward, you saw an ornate lamp sitting on his desk, like from Aladdin. Looking around the class you could see clay shards, vases, and other artefacts being passed around the class, most likely things the professor had brought in to try and liven up the presentation. You picked up the lamp and turned to Dennis.

“Hey, Dennis! Look, I’m like Aladdin! Hope I get a genie!” You laughed and rubbed the top of the lamp mockingly. Suddenly you fell backwards onto the floor, the lamp skittering away. Your chair had disappeared. Your desk was gone too. In fact, the whole classroom seemed to have vanished, leaving in its place an infinite white void. “So, you gonna wish for something or what?” You scrambled to your feet and looked around for who had just spoken. In from of you was possibly the most beautiful woman you had ever seen, dressed in what you thought must be Middle Eastern fashion, though she didn’t seem to be wearing much.

“W-wish??” you gasped, still in shock. “Uhh yeah? Wish? I’m a genie, you rubbed the lamp which nobody else ever thought to do for some reason, now you get a wish. No infinite wishes or money or love or whatever though, there are limits to my power and some stuff I’m just tired of granting at this point.” The genie crossed her arms and cocked her head at him. “So, what’ll it be?” You racked your brain. What did you want? Hazy memories came to mind—your crush Julia asking who you were after you asked her out last year, Joanna Price shoving you out of the way in the halls whenever you walked past her giggling clique, always being the last picked for basketball due to your diminutive height despite your modest ability… “I want to be able to change my body however I want, whenever I want!” you said confidently. No more 5’ 6”. No more fat that wouldn’t go away. Julia would finally notice you! “Alright, if that’s your wish. Granted!” the genie said, beaming, and she snapped her fingers.

Instantly the infinite void faded away and you were back in his seat, clutching the lamp. “Yo Lance, you gonna pass that over or what?” Dennis asked, staring at you. “Huh? Oh, yeah” you said, passing it over. He looked down. You didn’t feel any different. You looked at your flabby arms. Muscular! He thought hard, concentrating with all his strength. Nothing. Taller! you thought, staring at your legs. Nothing changed. Taller Alakazam? Bippidy boppidy boo? you thought desperately, a last ditch effort. Not so much as an extra inch. You slumped back in his chair, and heard a loud clattering below the right side of his chair. Had your phone slipped out of your pocket? You leaned over to pick it up. You want to replace it in your pocket, but it met resistance. Your phone was already in your pocket. You glanced around to see if anyone else was looking for a phone, but everyone else was either listening to the professor’s presentation or looking at the relics still being passed around. You looked at the “phone” in your hand and was surprised to see what seemed more like a small, futuristic tablet.

Turning it on, you were met with a wall of text. At the top left in large lettering was your name. Below that were menus, each describing an attribute. Hair, Eyes, Face, Physique, Height, Gender, Race, Metabolism. The menus went on and on, every conceivable physical trait was there.