Chapter 6: Slice of Home
Jeff's wind magic sent Yogi spinning through the air in a dizzying spiral as they neared their destination. When they finally touched down, it was before a rustic one-story house that radiated warmth despite its modest appearance. The structure featured a garage, basement, and attic, with a shed standing sentinel in the backyard. Its cabin-like aesthetic spoke of comfort rather than grandeur. A lake glimmered just minutes away through the trees.
The afternoon sun blazed overhead in a cloudless sky, Yogi settling down as he tried to regain his equilibrium. It was 1:47 PM.
"Welcome to my house," Jeff announced, gesturing broadly. "Home to my family. Just me, Alicia, and Biscuit live here. Biscuit's a dog, but he's family too."
Yogi steadied himself, still recovering from the chaotic journey. "That was the craziest lift I've ever gotten…"
Jeff unlocked the door and pushed it open. Immediately, a young yellow Australian shepherd bounded toward them, jumping and twisting with unbridled excitement. Beyond the dog, Alicia sat on the couch, completely absorbed in whatever was playing on the television. The interior embraced them with warm colors and a cozy atmosphere that made the space feel lived-in and loved.
Alicia wore blue jeans and a hoodie over a tank top, her wedding ring catching the light as she gestured at the screen. At five-foot-seven with a pale, sun-kissed complexion, she carried her Cuban and white heritage in the hazel of her eyes and the dark waves of her brunette hair.
Jeff stood six feet tall, his light-brown skin reflecting his Chilean and Black American mix. Dark brown eyes surveyed the scene as he entered, his very dark brown hair braided into cornrows that stopped mid-neck. He wore baggy black jeans and a hoodie over a tank top, a white gold chain with a cross resting against his chest alongside two rings—one of them his wedding band.
Two of his tattoos that magically glowed faintly in darkness. A halo glowing faintly on the back of his neck. Glowing faintly on his right side, a yellow smiley face outline bore a single red teardrop beneath its left eye. On his left forearm, black runic symbols, but not a magical ink tattoo. The magic ink responded to his power—whenever Jeff channeled magic through his body for his more intense attacks, the corresponding tattoos would illuminate, their glow intensifying with the amount of energy he gathered.
Yogi, short and bald with a well-maintained beard, and blind.
"Jeff, look what's going on TV," the dog said—said—with clarity too.
"Jeff, a guy wished for a non-stop broadcast on every TV screen on Earth for the entire day," Alicia explained excitedly, not looking away from the screen. "It's showing a bird's-eye view of wherever he goes. He was exploring this incredible canyon, and nobody knew there was a dragon there—not even him. But then he picked a fight with this massive monster. There are smartphone notifications going crazy about it, and there's a reward—some of the best magic crystals with incredible powers, magical weapons, and magical armor—to anyone who defeats it. And get this: he said he has one more wish left."
Jeff's response came rapid-fire. "Well, I just happen to have two wishes left."
"No way!" Alicia whipped around to face him, shock written across her features. "You found another genie?!"
"You promised you'd wish to make me human!" The dog's excitement exceeded even Alicia's, his whole body vibrating with anticipation.
"Alright, Biscuit, you've wanted this for a long time." Jeff spoke quickly, reassuring the shepherd as he rushed through his words. "I won't break my promise."
He gestured to Yogi while frantically emptying his pockets, pulling out the dice piece that had started this whole chain of events. "By the way, this is the genie Yogi. He was summoned through this dice piece I found in a forest area. Yogi, Alicia. Alicia, Yogi. Yogi, Biscuit. Biscuit, Yogi."
Jeff barely took a breath. "Alright Yogi, I wish for Biscuit to change into a human."
"Wish granted," Yogi intoned.
Brilliant light engulfed the dog, magical energy swirling in patterns too complex for the eye to follow. When the glow faded, a fifteen-year-old boy stood where the shepherd had been—with wild, spiky blonde hair, very dark brown eyes, and not clothed. His skin was pale with a hint of tan, and his expression...
"Colors are different!" Biscuit stared at his hands, then around the room, drinking in the world through human eyes.
Jeff was already moving. "We're going to that battle," he told Alicia, urgency driving every word.
"Yes!" Alicia leaped from the couch. "Let's get our weapons and stuff."
"I'm coming?" Biscuit asked, hope coloring his voice.
"No, you stay here," Jeff said as he and Alicia sprinted toward the attic.
"Geez, everything's kinda different…" Biscuit followed them anyway, still marveling at his new form. Jeff and Alicia pivoted, racing toward their bedroom instead. "Wow, standing on two legs is so much easier than when I was a dog!"
"Do I need clothes?" Biscuit called, running after them.
"Get away from me, you need clothes!" Jeff shouted back.
"I wonder how high I can jump now," Biscuit mused, undeterred.
Alicia pressed a pair of red-and-white pajamas into his hands. "Those are Jeff's pajamas that I accidentally shrunk in the dryer some time ago."
Biscuit struggled into them, and Alicia tied the drawstring so the pants wouldn't fall. As she worked, Biscuit's expression shifted, realization dawning. "I can't pick up as many scents now, can I?"
The implications seemed to hit him all at once. "I should've asked you to make human my second form, so I could switch between my human form and my dog form!"
"Yeah, that would have been a smarter wish…" Jeff admitted, distracted as he gathered equipment. "Eventually, I'll wish for the ability to switch between human, wolf, and cheetah forms. I also want a beast form—similar to how a werewolf appears as a big, strong monster wolf with human-like characteristics. I want fangs, extremely durable retractable claws that are difficult to remove, the ability to run very fast on two legs and on all fours. But I haven't decided if the wolf part of the appearance is actually going to be a wolf or something else when I create or choose my beast form."
He glanced at a piece of paper on the bedside table, covered in his handwriting. "Wording wishes can be tricky. I ended up writing it down since I had to phrase it accurately…" He squinted at the notes as if they were the most complicated thing he ever had to read.
Jeff tossed one of his shirts and a hoodie at Biscuit. "Remember, since you couldn't pronounce and speak clearly due to your mouth not being structured for such, I had a genie grant my wish for your speech to be magically clear. So you've been able to communicate better than most other dogs. Now I had a genie make you human. We'll talk about what wishes we can get granted for each other at another time."
Biscuit pulled on the clothing, his eyes lighting up. "I gotta show my friends!"
"Oh yeah, the battle!" Biscuit suddenly remembered, calling after Jeff and Alicia as they raced toward the basement.
The couple tore through storage rooms and closets, then out to the shed. Alicia retrieved an unassuming cloth bag with thin straps—her bag of infinite storage, loaded with magic crystal shards, coins, and various enchanted items. Despite its modest size, it could only accept items that fit through its opening, but what it held was considerable. She began pulling out supplies, naming each to make them appear in her hands while her hands are in the bag.
Jeff loaded his pockets with magic crystal shards of various powers and grabbed his sheathed sword—his weapon of choice. The blade had the unique property of absorbing magic from its wielder, transforming it into a magical weapon that grew in power from the magic. Alicia grabbed her staff of ice magic.
They were ready.
"IS THE BATTLE STILL GOING?" Jeff yelled toward the house.
"Yeah, it's still going!" Biscuit's voice carried back.
Jeff turned to Yogi as he and Alicia returned to where the genie waited. "Yogi, I wish for a magical portal to appear in my backyard that goes to that battle that's on TV."
"Your final wish has been granted." Yogi's form began to fade, his voice carrying a note of genuine concern. "Good luck, you guys."
With that, he vanished.
Jeff and Alicia sprinted toward the backyard, calling goodbye to Biscuit as they ran. The magical portal shimmered before them, and without hesitation, they stepped through.