The Genie

by Silver Butcher

a familiar Master

Spike had split his mind between all his forms more equally so he could be all of them at once, at the moment he was arguing with himself mostly out of boredom.

"No, I'm pretty sure it was Sweetie Belle," Kirin said as he scratched his chin "She was the one we had a crush on I'm confident of it,"

"No, no, no," Breezie said as he fluttered over Kirin "it was Fluttershy, hundred percent,"

"What? You're both stupid, It was Pinkie, without a doubt," Dragon declared with determination "Had to of been," as the 3 all started trying to prove to one another that they were the one who was right they all felt it at once.

"A master!" Kirin said in excitement "Oh it's been centuries!" he clapped his hooves and rushed to the nozzle, feeling he was the most acceptable form for this master as his other two forms all stuck their tongues out at one another before dissipating. Spike swirled out from the lamp and the yell of shock informed him his new master had not intentionally summoned him. Spike took advantage of this to be a little theatrical, Spike grew large and kept his lower body as a mist as he declared in a loud booming voice.

"I am the Genie of the Lamp, you have summoned me and my power is yours to control my master," Spike looked down at his new master and was fairly shocked when he recognized him, his master was an old-looking Unicron with blue robes, a wizarding had, and a long beard. The Unicorn looked suspiciously at Spike but Spike decreased in size and gave his master a once over. "Say...aren't you Starswirl the Bearded?" Being recognized got a look of surprise from Starswirl

"I feel I must take being recognized as a great honor," Starswirl said as he looked at the oil lamp "To think the tales of genies are true,"

"Well I dunno about Genies plural, I'm the only Genie I know of," Spike rubbed his chest proudly before shaking his head and looking at Starswirl, "Regardless as you are Starswiril the Bearded I am hoping you'll at least let me tell you the rules before you start wishing?" Spike saw a shine in the old unicorn's eye and Spike clapped his hoofs together, poofing a scroll with the rules on it into existence for him, Starswirl looked at it and Spike waited for a minute while the rules were read.

"Interesting," Starswirl said as he looked over the rules "Is there a time limit to how long I can wait to make my wishes?"

"Well, I guess if you die or lose the lamp, other than that you have nothing but time," Spike looked around his surroundings, they were in a forest clearing, right behind Spike was a small ditch, that ended at Starswirls hooves. "Ah, guessing my lamp made this when it blasted off from my last master," Spike kicked at the small scar on the land his lamp had made when Starswirl smiled.

"Of course," Starswirl said with a smile, "If I were to use my wish-"

"Careful," Spike interrupted, "saying I and wish in a sentence counts as making a wish so make sure it's what you really want, I really need to add that to the rules," Starswirl looked at Spike and back at the lamp. "If you want time to think aloud just rub the lamp again and back in I go till you're ready for me," Starswirl did just that and Spike was sucked back in, Spike trotted over to one of the Lamp walls and put his hoof on it as his other forms materialized in the lamp, the wall turned into a mirror and shimmered before giving Spike a third-person view of Starswirl putting the lamp under his cloak and leaving the area, heading to a very old and worn looking path that Spike assumed Starswirl had been walking on when he had noticed the lamp.

"Unexpected," Starswirl said as he made his way down the path "I came here to study ruins, and instead I found something far more unique to study," Starswirl made his way along the path and found the ruins he was looking for, some old crumbling ruins, after some looking around and taking a fairly large number of notes he set up a camp near the ruins and continued his investigation far into the night, suddenly a fit of coughs overtook him and he was forced to retire for the night, The night itself was upon him half an hour later as he sat next to his dinner reading a book on Llama's, he had just finished it and was returning it to his saddlebag when he dropped the lamp and, seeing as he was now resting, he decided to rub it and begin his study on the Genie. What happened when he rubbed it was unexpected, as a table appeared out of the smoke and a set of three creatures formed sitting at it with his Genie, all playing what looked to be a complicated version of chess and drinking from odd-looking cups.

"You can't use the comics owl until at least the 15th turn," A Breezie said as it sipped from a tiny cup, he noticed Starswirl and spat out its drink, instantly the scene before him dissipated and the Kirin stood before looking embraced.

"Sorry," He said awkwardly "Wasn't paying attention,"

"Who were all those creatures?" Starswirl asked, curiosity burning in his mind "They were all dressed just like you,"

"Oh they're all me," Spike replied casually "You spend a few thousand years in a lamp with cosmic powers and you'll eventually start duplicating yourself just so you can argue with someone," Spike thought for a moment and added

"If you want I can make a special form just for you, kind of like a way of remembering you when you use up all the wishes,"

"Interesting," Starswirl said before falling into another fit of coughing, "Pardon, adventuring at my age is no easy task,"

"I could fix that," Spike said leaning forward and wiggling his eyebrows and Starswirl "Just gotta think of the right wish," His master pondered the idea for a moment before turning to the Genie.

"What would you subject?"

"immortality along with no longer aging," Spike said without hesitation "You'll have all the time for the rest of forever to study to your heart's content,"

"An interesting proposition," Starswirl replied stocking his beard with his hoof "I'd never have to worry about my dwindling age, instead of trying to finish my work with my limited time, I can focus all my efforts on them," Starswirl smiled and Spike could tell he'd sold him on the wish.

"I wish to be an ageless immortal," Starswirl decided firmly, Spike's eyes started glowing and he stood on his hind legs, lifting his front hooves up as the three black lines under his eyes were reduced to two.

"Your Wish is Granted," Spike declared, Starswirl felt the magic wash over him and could feel all his sores and aces disappearing. While Starswirl looked the same on the outside he felt energy and vigor he hadn't felt since he was young. After Starswirl gave a few kicks that would have hurt him had he done them before the wish he let out a laugh.

"I must thank you for the idea, but I must get back on topic, do tell me Genie, how is it that a Genie is made?"

"When a Mortal is given Cosmic powers by a god and then tricked into trapping themself into a lamp," Spike replied casually, Starswirl's eyebrow rose and Spike quickly added "Giving a mortal cosmic powers make them go completely nuts, give someone who spends their life trying to help other cosmic powers, and they'll be trying to remake the world in their image in less than a minute," The look on Starswirls face was somewhat comical.

"Interesting," Starswirl said as he began taking notes of what Spike was telling him "Well then since I imagine you have more knowledge than I on this particular matter, what would you recommend for my two remaining wishes?"

"Well, you're the master so I can't go ordering you around, but if it's a recommendation you looking for then might I suggest saving them? You could regret wasting them, might need them when you least expect it," Spike winked at Starswirl and the old sorcerer looked over the few notes he had written down.

"Well now," He decided as he used his magic to quickly pack up his camp "These old ruins can wait now that I'm no longer bound by time, think I'll set my sights on a few of those projects I abandoned, never thought I'd get anywhere with them but now that time is no longer a factor I think I can crack them," Starswirl mad to rub the lamp but stopped and looked first at his saddlebags, and then up at the Genie "You know it's somewhat...random, but I am rather fond of Llama's,"

---

Spike was humming a tune as he read one of Starswirls many books, he was sitting inside Starswirls workshop in the form of a Llama, it had been a fair number of years since Starswirl had made his first wish and the Lamp was now set comfortably on a pillow in his study, surrounded by protection spells, Starswirl himself had let Spike out of the lamp and decided to let the Genie roam the shop freely since he couldn't stray too far from the lamp," Spike was reading a book Twilight had once read to him when he felt it, he closed the book and hid behind a bookshelf before popping his head up like a periscope and watched through a gap between the books as a scrawny looking pony walked into Starswirls Study, it was also the public library, though they rarely got any visitors. Starswirl himself was looking over his old notes when he heard the bell chime, he chose to ignore it and was about to continue writing when one of his desks draws opened and Breezie Spike peaked out

"Destiny is calling," He said before disappearing into a mist, Starswirls ear's perked, and he sloppily finished his notes before making his way to his guest, the Unicorn looked like he was trying to keep his cool when he saw Starswirl, he said nothing as he tried to find the correct words only for Starswirl to speak first.

"I sense you're not here to check out a book," He noted as he approached the pony "You are here on a mission, a grand one it would seem," the relief on the visitor's face was almost comical.

"You truly are as great as they say," He said as he took his hood off "I am Stygian, and I am on a mission to gather 6 of the mightiest ponies from across the land to forge a team strong enough to protect Equestria from any and all danger, you are the first one I have come to reach out to,"

"Interesting," Starswirl said, "Come, I shall accompany you in gathering the rest," Stygian followed Starswirl to the second floor of his home and while Starswirl was preparing a few scrolls noticed the oil lamp.

"Interesting thing to keep on display," He noted as he looked around at a fair number of far more valuable-looking objects cast aside and accumulating dust around the room.

"Ah yes, I found this lamp near Pone Henge, it has...interesting magical properties that I hope to one day fully understand, until then however it remains on my desk, covered in protective spells so those with wicked hearts can't obtain the power it holds,"

"How interesting," Stygian said, He and Starswirl made their way to the bottom and Starswirl wrote a quick note and sent it off with a spell, his message sent he and Stygian left his shop, leaving only Spike behind, once they were gone he split into all his forms again.

"The shop is ours!" Llama Spike cheered "Who wants to play 5th-dimensional chess!"

---

It had been a few years since the Pillars had joined as one and Spike knew that tonight was the night, Starswirl entered his home, nearly breaking the door as he did so.

"Stygian has returned," He said as he made his way to the second floor, Where Llama Spike was standing, packing a suitcase with copies of some of Starswirls items, "What are you doing?" he asked the Genie.

"I like keep-sakes, and I've never had a master for so long, but sadly history dictates your time as my Master is drawing to an end," Spike looked around the shop and spit, the entire building started glowing and a tiny doll house version appeared on Spike's back as he made the Suitcase disappear, "That'll do,"

"You are correct," Starswirl agreed as he reached through the magic barrier and grabbed the lamp "But I won't be using your magic against the pony of shadows, if we fail and he knows of your existence he could use you to reshape the entire world. No, your powers are needed elsewhere," Starswirl rubbed the lamp and Spike was sucked back in, Spike looked around the inside of the lamp as he split in multiples.

"Man I haven't been in here in like 5 years," he said with a laugh as he looked at Rain Shine's tent and took a peek at the picture resting inside it before raising his hoofs and setting up the tiny copy of Starswirls home, a picture of Starswirl along with the Llama replaced what had originally just been a picture of Starswirl.

"Least we don't have to wait nearly as long to see him again," Llama said merrily as he shrunk down to doll size and walked into the house, poking his head out a window as he did so. Dragon Spike chuckled at the remark.

"Yeah, we just have to wait for him to rub the lamp and use his last wishes," Dragon Spike made his way to the wall and touched it, watching as Starswirl left his home for one final time and mumbled something about essays before lighting his horn and teleporting to a cavern where his fellow Pillars where waiting, each of them had a colored gem, Starswirl took off his hat and removed a star-shaped gemstone and set it in place.

"How do you plan to put our magic into these stones?" Rockhoof asked as he lightly nudged his.

"I am going to ask an old friend to do it for me," Starswirl said as he pulled out the oil lamp.

"Oh, I remember that," Meadowbrook said when she saw it "You said it held a great power within it, did you finally figure out how to unlock it?"

"I think it's time, to be honest, I've known how to use this object since the day I found it, but it can only be used three times and I've already used it once, I've kept it safe with many a spell since the creature withing is forced to bend to the will of whoever holds the lamp,"

"Starswirl," Flash Magnus said with a slowly raising brow "Are you telling us that you're holding a-" Starwirl rubbed the lamp and mist began pouring out, swirling to form Spike's Dragon form, he kept his lower body mist as he formed around the pillars, most of whom took a step back, with the expectation of Flash Magnus who raised his shield at the sigh of the dragon.

"-A Genie lamp," Starswirl said finishing Flash's question "Yes, that is what I am saying, Genie it is time for my second wish, I wish to imbue each of these Gemstones with the magical essence of the pony who brought it and plant them here so that they may keep the land safe when we are gone," Spike's eyes began glowing and the two lines beneath his eyes faded to one as he declared in a booming voice.

"Your Wish is Granted," the gems and the Pillars began glowing, a small amount of each of their glow attached to the gems they had each brought, and the glow died, leaving each of the gems floating as crystal-like roots broke through the earth and wrapped around the gems, after a moment the gems all disappeared beneath the ground where Spike knew the Tree of Harmoney would soon stand, Spike bowed and Starswirl looked at the Pillars around him "please give me a moment, my last wish is...private,"

"Very well," Somnambula said as she and the others made to leave. "Thank you for your help Genie,"

"Don't thank me, Starswirl's the one who wished for me to do it," As the pillars left Starswirl looked up at Spike and offered a hoof, one that Spike shook in departure before Starswirl made his final wish.

"I wish that my young students Celestia and Luna will find this lamp when they are ready to control its power," Spike smiled and his eyes started glowing one final time with the black lines around his eyes disappearing.

"Your Wish is Granted," Spike said simply before being sucked back into the lamp, Starswirl watched as the lamp began spinning and then shot out of the cave and off into the horizon.

Author's Note:

upon meeting with Starswirl Celestia and Luna mentioned essays, that's the entire joke with Starswirl mentioning them near the end.

Comments

[vortex123]

Surprised he didn’t wish for Stygian to lose all his power.

[Night_Moon60606]

10805253
SS flat out said that he wasnt going to use Spike against the Pony of Shadows on the off chance that the Pillars might fail and then Spike might fall into the very hooves of the one they were trying to stop. it is a legitimate worry, Spike is very powerful in this form, but his power is bound to the Lamp and in turn to the one who hold the Lamp...a darker heart could cause great harm with even a single wish granted by a Genie...