They have infinite cosmic powers, they grant three wishes per master, and their spells last forever.”

At his last statement, Karnage was beginning to feel that cold dreaded feeling of disappointment starting to sneak its way up.

“They are also bound by three simple rules,” the Genie said, sounding bored. “Personally, I don’t know why they have these stupid rules, but then what do I know, I’m just a level B Genie, go figure… Anyway, rule number one is that they can’t kill anyone. Rule two, no messing with people’s emotions, so no trying to get lucky with some bird, okay? And last but not least, no bringing the dead back to life… it’s not a pretty picture, trust me. Other than that, anything you want from them, you get it.”

“But you’re not a Level A Genie,” Karnage said lowly, remembering his previous statement.

The Genie nodded. “Sad, but true. But trust me, it’s not as bad as all that. Most people actually prefer my level than all the all-powerful ones. For one thing, we don’t have as big an ego as the other guys.”

Karnage waved his hand. “Whatever, continue with your story. What is the difference between your level and the other? Explain!”

“Okay, geez,” the Genie shrugged. “Anyway, I am a level B Genie. Our powers tend to be… a little more limited than the other Genies. On the plus side, we’re not bound by any rules, so we can grant any wish you want, anything at all.”

Karnage’s face immediately brightened, only for it to darken again.

“However,” the Genie quickly said. “The reason why we don’t have any rules is because, nothing we do lasts.”

“They don’t last?” Karnage asked. “You mean your powers aren’t permanent?”

The Genie nodded. “Yeah, hey, you’re big on the uptake, aren’t you?” The Genie laughed, but soon stopped when no one joined in.

“Tough crowd,” he muttered. “Like I said, we can grant any wish you want, instant service. But the second when the sun goes down, poof! The spell that I cast to grant your wish immediately wears off, and everything goes right back to the way it was before. Classic Cinderella deal, only the deal ends at sunset, not midnight. I frankly believe the wish should have a full twenty-four hour deal, but then again, what do I know? No one listens to me.”

“But, you can give us gold and silver, yah?” Dumptruck asked eagerly.

“And jewels?” Mad Dog said hopefully.

Karnage flung him arms up in despair. “Didn’t he just say that, you dummies! But what does it matter?! He has just revealed that none of his stupid wishes last any longer than a day! Therefore whatever we get from him, we loose by the end of the day!”

“Hey, it’s not as bad as all that,” the Genie said indignantly. “Like I said, I can grant any wish… “

“But what is the point if you just loose it all at the end of the day?” Karnage complained. “Ahh, so near and yet so far. To come so close, only to… Wait a minute!” Karnage peered at the Genie closely. “None of your wishes last, correct? But tell me, what exactly happens at the end of the day, after a wish is granted?”

“I’m… not sure what you mean?” the Genie said blankly. “The wish just wears off, and everything goes back to the way it was before. That’s it.”

“No, listen to me!” Karnage said, a little urgently. “Supposing if I was to wish for you to transport for me a large sum of jewels… Not some jewels for you to make out of thin air, with your magic. But some real jewels, from say a jewellery store. If you were to transport them from their shop, to me, then would they stay with me?”

The Genie shook his head. “I’m afraid not, master. Whatever you wish for that was affected by the magic of the wish immediately reverts and/or returns back to whence it came. And no one, save for you and I, will have any memory of the day’s events… Well, most people anyway. Some people who have been exposed to magic have been known to…”

“Yes, yes, very interesting,” Karnage interrupted, not listening as he had stopped once the Genie had told him that his plan wouldn’t work. “Sooooo,” Karnage wondered loudly. “If I cannot use my wishes to, how they say, steal the emeralds, as we pirates usually do… Then the answer is, simply, I will have to steal them another way.”

Karnage tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Dumptruck! Mad Dog! Think! Did Baloo give any indication of when and where he was transporting these emeralds that he so talked about? Anything at all?”

His men sadly shook their heads. “We never got to hear much of his conversation with the club owner,” Mad Dog reported almost mournfully. “But, like we said, we could always… “

“No mentioning of the disguise and infiltrate plan, please!” Karnage said sharply, still tapping his chin, deep in thought. “Maybe,” he said. “Maybe if I were to wish that you, the Genie, were to send me to where these emeralds are, then I would know where they are, and then steal them myself and make my way back home.“

“That is possible, if that is your wish?” the Genie asked.

“Yes, make it so!” Karnage said gleefully, rubbing his hands in anticipation. “I wish to be wherever the precious gemstones that Baloo will be delivering are!”

“Very well,” the Genie coughed once, and then… “Hickety pickety, snap and zoom! Transport this guy to his gemstones really soon!” He threw his hands up in the air, and the gathered pirates stood by expectantly, waiting for some obvious magic to occur.

A few moments went by, and nothing happened.

“Well???” Karnage hissed.

The Genie scratched his head, looking at them with a confounded look on his face. “I can’t understand it,” he said baffled. “The spell should have worked. I don’t know why, but for some reason your wish is un-grantable.”

“What do you mean?!!” Karnage screeched. “I thought, and these were your exact words, that you could grant me anything I desire?!”

“They are, I can,” the Genie tried to assure him. “I honestly can’t explain it, but I can’t grant this wish for some reason. The only thing I can hazard a guess at, is that there must be something blocking my magic from getting at the gems. Possibly a protective rune or something.”

“Curses!” Karnage swore, and thought. ‘Baloo has no doubt not received the emeralds yet for transportation, so they are obviously not with him.’ He frowned, as he tried to figure something out, and then he smiled. “Wait! You said that when the wish ends, only you and I will have any memory of the past days events. Correct?”

The Genie nodded. “You, me, and possibly anyone who’s ever been in close contact with a really powerful mystical object, or several less powerful ones, but those guys are rare and… “

“Then that’s it!” Karnage announced in triumph. “If I can’t wish the jewels here, without loosing them at the end of the day, and I can’t wish myself to them, then I must simply find out where they are then.” Karnage clapped his hands together. “Yes! I will go to Baloo’s stronghold, and there I will find out all he knows about the emeralds, and when the time is right… I shall steal them right out from under his big fat nose!”

“But, boss,” Mad Dog whined. “You were just saying that Baloo would see through any disguise we could… “

“We never had a Genie working for us before,” Karnage sneered. “He claims he can grant any wish. So, with his magic, I can shadow myself in any form I so wish, so to speak, and wander right into Baloo’s quarters without him ever suspecting my presence.”

Karnage giggled. “Ohhh, it is so brilliant and so utterly magnificent a plan, I amaze myself!”

The Genie rolled his eyes. “What a nutter,” he whispered quietly to himself.

“Ah, so, cap’n,” Dumptruck commented. “When shall we depart for Baloo’s… OW!” He groaned, as Karnage whacked him over the head.

“Imbecile!” Karnage scolded him. “Have we not just empathised that only he who makes the wish remembers all that occurs thereafter? If I were to let you go, then I would not remember anything of the day. And I, the captain, require the information more than anything.”

“We could relay the information to you?” Mad Dog suggested.

Karnage snorted. “First rule of being a pirate’s captain… Trust no one. Devil knows what you two could get up to if I allowed you such a responsibility?”

“Ye don’t trust us, your loyalist of henchmen?” Dumptruck asked, a little shocked.

Karnage looked