Forever Genie? - Part 3A (Humanity)

When Martha came to work, she was surprised to see Svetlana standing in an expensive business suit and greeting the guests. Something was definitely not right. When Svetlana spotted Martha she put up a devilish smile. "Good Morning, Miss de Santos. You finally care to appear to work, finally?"

"What are you talking about, Svetlana? My shifts start in half an hour. And why do you behave as if you'd run the hotel? Where's M. Sprüngli?"

"Because I'm the owner of the hotel. Don't you remember?" Svetlana asked, seemingly asTonyshed.

Martha frowned. "No I don't remember. You're just a lowly maid, Svetlana. And a terrible person too."

Svetlana was now puzzled. Why didn't Martha recognize her as the hotel owner she was now? Quickly she regained her composure. "That's Mistress Petroskaya for you. And it doesn't matter. This is for you." She handed Martha an envelope.

"What's this?" Martha took the envelope.

"It's your lay-off. Your fired." Svetlana replied. "You can check it, all the documents are airtight."

"I see." Martha opened the envelope. Svetlana was right, all documents looked legitimate. It was a standard layoff according to Swiss law. "I guess I can still work here for two more months?"

"Everything according to the law. Of course, you can always leave earlier, if you want too." Svetlana replied with a smile.

"I see..." Martha said. Somehow, she felt really disappointed. She liked her job and her friends at the hotel. And now she had lost that job. What would happen to her now? Maybe Svetlana would sell her lamp and she would never see David or Amelia again?
These dark thoughts occupied Martha's mind over the next hours. She mostly acted like on auto-pilot and surely didn't appear with her usual kindness but rather absentminded to the patrons.
Suddenly, David stepped into her view. He looked very said. "Hey David! What's up?" she asked.

"Miss Petroskaya fired me." David replied.

"What? Why are you calling her Miss Petroskaya?"

"Why shouldn't I? She's the owner of the hotel and we are ... we're her employees."

Martha had a sneaking suspicion. "Don't you remember your uncle? He's the real owner of the hotel."

"My uncle? What are you talking about? He's dead for years now."

Martha felt her suspicions confirmed. "But you still know that I'm a genie?"

"Of course I know that. I also remember Sami and Gregorios." David replied."Why are you asking."

"I think a genie has tempered with you mind, David." Martha says.

"I thought genies can't manipulate the mind of mortals?"

"We are not allowed to do it. But we are able to manipulated." Martha said.

"And you think my mind was manipulated by a genie?" David asked.

"If you like, I can examine your for magic." Martha proposed.

David was reluctant. "I don't know... You won't change anything about me?"

"Not unless you or somebody else wishes for it." Martha assured him.

"Ok, then do it."

Martha reached out for the magic Aura of David. His mind had been clearly magically tempered with. Martha was glad that it was just a mind manipulation spell and not a spell that had changed the universe. Still there was something strange about that spell. Martha examined further and saw that it was connected to other people as well. "I was right, you mind has been tempered with."

"Can you undo it?" David asked.

"I guess... But we should find out first what Svetlana exactly has wished for. Otherwise, I could really screw things up beyond repair." Martha explained.

David nodded. "I trust you in this. But why wasn't your mind affected too?"

"I guess Gregorios wasn't strong enough to bend my mind. I'm still more experienced than him." Martha replied.

"I see. Then it all depends on your memory now. Tell you what we will do. This evening, I'll take you lamp back to my flat. Then we use the next weeks to find out what Svetlana has wished for before we strike."

"Sounds like a plan." Martha smiled.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Part 2A (Codeword Mouse): hippo2.deviantart.com/art/Fore…
Part 2B (Codeword Goddess): hippo2.deviantart.com/art/Fore…

Part 4A (Mouse, Humanity): hippo2.deviantart.com/art/Fore…
Part 4B (Goddess, Humanity, Tree): hippo2.deviantart.com/art/Fore…
Part 4C (Goddess, Humanity, Maid): hippo2.deviantart.com/art/Fore…