Picture Story: Be Careful What You Wish For...

Catherine was a model. 

More than that, in fact; she was a supermodel! She was currently one of the top money-makers in the industry. Her face and figure had graced the covers of dozens of fashion magazines. At a mere twenty-four years old, she was at the top of her game in the modelling industry.

She was also near the end of her career. 

Most models start working in their late teens and retire by their mid-twenties. Though, 'retire' was a pleasant euphemism for 'pushed aside by fresh, younger faces.' That was simply the nature of the business. Everyone knew that.

The smart models set aside a decent portion of their earnings to pay for college, or to start their own business. Catherine had not been very smart with her money. When the modeling jobs dried up, she could easily imagine herself working as a waitress or barista just to make ends meet.

Fuck that!

Catherine had come up with an alternative to early retirement; she would keep working as a model. She would accomplish that via magic! Granted, most people would think that idea was crazy - but she had a plan. She would capture a leprechaun and use her wishes to stay young and beautiful forever!

Which, ultimately, led her to rural Ireland, with a leprechaun she had captured using some special iron manacles that she bought on eBay...

"Ahem..."

Catherine blinked in surprise and looked down at the leprechaun.

"I'm sure the internal monologue is really important, but can we stop faffin' about and get down to business? I assume that you'll be wantin' to make some wishes."

Catherine frowned. Internal monologue? She shrugged and leaned down to wag a finger in the leprechaun's face. "That's right! I caught you fair and square, and you owe me three wishes if you want me to let you go!"

The leprechaun rolled her eyes. "I know the rules, lass. This isn't me first rodeo. But before I grant ye any wishes, you'll need to remove these..." She held up her hands and rattled the chain connecting her manacles. "I can't work me magic while I'm bound with iron."

Catherine bit her lower lip. "Erm... you won't try to get away?"

"Of course not," the leprechaun assured her with a scowl. "Ye caught me, and I'm bound by the laws of the fair folk to fulfill three wishes for ya."

"Okay... but you'd better not be lying to me!"

The leprechaun rubbed her freed wrists and looked up at Catherine. "Right, then. What's yer first wish?"

Catherine pondered. She might as well get the most important thing out of the way first. Her career as a model hinged upon retaining her youth and beauty, so she had to make sure that she didn't lose those with the passage of time.

"I wish to remain young and beautiful forever."

The leprechaun raised an eyebrow. "That's it? That's yer first wish?"

Catherine nodded. "Yes! I wish to remain young and beautiful forever."

The little woman shrugged, and began to gesture with her hands. A cloud of glowing, rainbow-hued mist arose from nowhere and swirled around Catherine. Her skin began to tingle, and she could feel the little hairs stand up all over her body. 

The mist vanished as abruptly as it had appeared... leaving Catherine naked. "What the fuck happened to my clothes!" she exclaimed.

"Houl yer whisht," the leprechaun replied irritably, still weaving her hands in the aid. "I ain't done yet."

A curious crackling sound filled the air, accompanied by an alarming sensation of numbness that quickly swept up from Catherine's feet. "Wait... what's happening to me?"

"I granted your wish," the leprechaun replied with a smirk. "You will never get any older than you are right now, and your beauty will last as close to forever as I can manage..."

Catherine was still pondering that answer when the numbness reached her head and everything went dark.

"Alright, lass, that's done," the leprechaun stated cheerfully. "I owe ye two more wishes... but I sense that you'll be a wantin' to take your time to settle on what ye want. 'Tis an important decision, after all." She reached up to pat Catherine's stone derriere. "Tell ye what; you think about it, and I'll check back with you later..."

"...say, in a hundred years or so."