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AutoModerator t1_iys3c9m wrote

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

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1

waltjrimmer t1_iysxt8x wrote

The genie, after taking out some reading glasses and looking over the contract.

"What's this?"

"My final wish."

"No, it very much isn't. One of the rules of wishes is that they must start with 'I wish' and finish within the same breath."

"You never told me that!"

"There's nothing in the rules that says I have to explain all of them to you."

"I wish you'd told me that sooner! I worked forever on, oh wait, goddamnit!"

43

Royal_Bitch_Pudding t1_iytc08d wrote

So, how does the temporal paradox resolve?

24

waltjrimmer t1_iytc9p0 wrote

The genie actually did tell him the entire spiel of rules for the spells when he first emerged, but there was so much else going on that the wisher didn't hear or notice it.

Imagine if someone was trying to discuss the syllabus for a graduate-level university course with you in the middle of a fireworks show.

16

Royal_Bitch_Pudding t1_iytl638 wrote

That should still result in an unused wish. Since he was already told, he just doesn't remember.

3

waltjrimmer t1_iytlqlr wrote

No, the genie fulfilled the wish. The genie had told the wisher earlier.

If you're saying that they didn't do something now to fulfill the wish since the request had already been filled, good luck arguing in genie court that the genie didn't use temporal magic to have done that in the past after the wish was wished.

9

brickmaster32000 t1_iyufaf2 wrote

I always find the assumption that a nigh omnipotent creature like a genie or a devil couldn't ever choose to just say, "fuck it", and break their rules funny. Like how much do you really want to push such a being as a human with no actual power of your own to stop them if things go bad?

4

BioIdra t1_iyurhdr wrote

The best story is in the comments

2

Woooferine t1_iyusm8c wrote

I am 97.4% certain that the OP has a legit genie in a bottle.

2