It was then Dewdrop made a realization: if Biff meant to go to school, and to take his Universal Remote with him, he forgot one very important thing: the remote.
"Um, Cornelius, maybe we should leave? I think Biff's about to come back."
"Oh, leaving so soon? Pity, I love having company." Oracle sighed, "I do hope my Master takes me with him. There is someone I would much like to meet at his high school." She sighed and slumped to her bed, pretending she did not pique Dewdrop's interest.
"Who?" She asked.
The genie shrugged, "I do not know. It is a feeling. My future daughter and next Genie of this Bottle is at that school, I feel. How I wish to go meet her and show her to her destiny."
"You mean, to trap her in this bottle?"
"What a human thing to say, little fairy." Dew grimaced again at being belittled once again, even as Oracle continued on, "you of all people should know the person you are meant to be is not necessarily the person you were born as. This poor girl feels a void in her life that she can never know how to fill up until she is bound to a vessel. She yearns to serve, but hates not knowing why. Should you find this girl, have her touch my bottle. I shall do the rest."
"I'm not going to help you enslave someone." Dew said, crossing her teeny arms.
And then the Genie smiled with a little wickedness, "Oh, but if you do, there may be a boon for you."
That caused Cornelius to step between Dew and Oracle. "Forgive my rudeness, Genie, but I we will be off now."
"No." Oracle said, for the first time speaking forcefully. "I have decided that you should stay with me in my vessel until my Master returns."
"You cannot stop us, Genie." Cornelius retorted, "for it is written that fairies may leave Genie vessels in the same manner in which they entered."
"And you came to me unannounced, so must leave unannounced. Since you have made your intention to leave clear, I am afraid you are stuck with me unless I allow it. But I am willing to make a deal . . ."
"What kind of deal?" Dew asked. She thought she could guess, one that involved this genie daughter. But in truth, Dew, in her past human life had read just enough fantasy books to know when trickery in wordplay was afoot. Even as she spoke, she looked around the tiny vessel space, for something . . .
"Dewdrop, stop." Now it was Cornelius, speaking to Dewdrop in a harsh way he had never done before, that spoke forcefully. But Dew had a plan now.
"I am parched, however, have you any drinks?" Dewdrop asked. The fairy had noted a basin and pitcher of water opposite her. And she sorely hoped Oracle would not just magic it to herself, but to Dewdrop's relief, the Genie smiled and went to get the water. While her back was turned, Dewdrop grabbed Cornelius' hand.
"Fly us out of here, now!" It was the fairies hope that by making clear her intention to stay, they could leave unannounced once more. It was sound fairy tale logic, at any rate, and enough that Cornelius spread his wings and shot up, up, up, pulling Dew into his strong arms as he did. The fairies looked up to the spout of the lamp and hoped this would work, and that Biff had not come and gone already . . .
