Nov 9 (Night)
Leo's POV
Ring, Ring, Ring
Ned joined the call first, then Harry joined a moment later, with Gwen joining a couple of seconds later. Though, for some reason, her camera was off.
A few minutes passed as they waited for Peter. It's always awkward waiting for him.
"Sooooo?" Ned started. "Anything new?" He asked the group.
Peter joined the call. "Sorry I'm late, I-"
"We have a problem," One that we need to fix right now. "Our Compacts are dying."
"What?!" Ned, Harry, and Peter shouted in unison.
"Uhmm," Gwen raised her voice. "What's a Compact?"
"It's an experimental server we made," Ned explained. "It's a little chunky, but it has some next-level processing power."
Gwen gave us a confused look. "Question, why aren't we licensing and selling it?"
"We've been over this." I cut her off. "Hammer is a hack, Stark is complicated, and Harry will quit if we sell it to his dad."
"I will," Harry spoke with such conviction, nobody was sure if he was joking.
"Hold on, what's wrong with the Compacts?" Peter interrupted.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you." Activating the screen share function, I pulled up the Compact's processing analytic.
Ned let out a sigh, his hand clasping over his mouth. Ned and Peter examined the system data, faint worry on their faces.
"That doesn't look good," Gwen stated.
Peter narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second, something is off." Peter examined the data. "It looks like there are two other systems attempting to lessen the load, and I don't recognize that program. Conrad?"
Fuck, I forgot Conrad was hooked into the system.
"Conrad is just a minor A.I. I've developed. Nothing advanced, just gives out pre-fixed answers to technical questions in the help section." Technically true, though he's actually doing way more than that.
"Can I see it?" Ned asked, but quickly realized there were more important things. "Wait, why are there other servers?"
"A pair of backups I made just in case." For myself, though. "I quickly hooked them up to the current one before Instagram could overload."
"So, what's the plan?" Gwen asked.
"Isn't it obvious? Either we need more Compacts… or, we need to build model two." Despite looking through a screen, my eyes locked with Peter. "I have a few ideas, but I need help. I'll send you some concept designs, Pete. I need to figure out what works best and build it like yesterday."
"Well, I-" Peter stumbled over his words.
"Sorry, Pete, but we're already getting reports of crashes. At this rate, the server could collapse in a week."
Peter just sighed. "Alright."
My gaze switched to Harry. "Harry….the cafe is already worthless."
Harry sat there for a moment in silence. "...fuck." He pinched his brow in frustration. "How bad is it?"
"At this rate, we're going to need at least a hundred employees. A building with a basement we can convert to a server room, security, etc."
"So we need an office building?"
"We needed one yesterday."
Gwen frowned. "Is Instagram growing that quickly?"
Ned looked over the analytics. "There are 380,000 registered users."
Gwen nearly gasped like a fish out of water. "So let me get this straight. You guys need to either produce more servers, or make a new, better one. A brand-new building that can hold hundreds of people, and hundreds of new hires."
"Yep," Harry answered as he already started looking for an affordable building that they could buy.
Hopefully he abuses his name or something , get us something quick.
"So what's the plan?" Gwen asked.
"Harry will buy us a building, Peter will build the Compact Model Two. Ned will put out an ad for coders, and help Peter build The Compact Two. I'll keep our current ones from setting themselves on fire." Maybe I'll purchase some commercial servers, and jury-rig them to support the Compact.
"Quick question?" Gwen asked. "You guys haven't forgotten that our project for Mr. Harrington is due tomorrow."
We all fell into silence. "....Ugh." We let out a pained sigh in unison.
"Okay, for now, everybody finish or double-check your projects." I refused to be one of those bosses that forces people to sacrifice their other responsibilities for business. "For now though, it's crunch time." With that, I ended the call.
===
Nov 10
3rd Person POV (Midtown High)
"You dick," Harry cursed as he saw my project.
Leo was pushing the grandfather clock he built on a tiny rolling cart. He had to pay a neighbor with a truck to deliver it since he did not want to carry it on the subway.
In Harry's hand was a small homemade centrifuge that used the kinetic buildup of rubber bands to spin.
MJ walked up to Harry, his partner for the project. "What's going on, what's with the clock?" she asked.
"That's his project for Mr. Harrington's assignment. He freakin' ruined the curve for everybody," Harry answered.
Leo noticed the odd look he was getting from his classmates as they walked past them. "Honestly, I might have kind of run with this."
"You think?" Harry asked sarcastically.
"Wow," Ned and Peter spoke in unison as they walked up beside them, Peter holding his and Ned's project.
From the look of it, it was a Kinetic-to-Electric Transducer device. A bulb with a loose wire. When Peter released the two metallic marbles, they would impact at the same time with the wire in the middle. The impact generates a small electric discharge that causes the bulb to flicker for just a moment.
Peter glanced at his project, then at Leo's. "I kind of feel like I phoned it in now."
"No, he just decided to be extra," Harry told him.
"Wow," Gwen said as she entered the conversation. "You sent me pictures, but it's pretty impressive in person."
"Thank you-" Leo stops mid-sentence. "You got your braces removed."
Gwen smiled. "Yep, what do you think?" She smiled as wide as she could.
"It's cute," Leo told her with hesitation. Gwen's face went red as she broke into a blush.
Everybody just stared at her, fully aware of what's going on.
Gwen immediately changed the subject. "Uhmm, where'd you learn to carve like that?" Gwen asked as she examined every inch and crevice of the clock.
"Let's just say, a man who hates the government taught me." Leo answered, aka Ron Swanson.
They all gave him a strange look.
"....What?" Ned was the first one brave enough to ask.
The first bell rang. "Quick question, how are you going to get that\ up the stairs?" Gwen asked.
Leo took a deep breath. "Somebody carry my cart." With a fake, but convincing grunt, he lifted the clock and began to slowly carry it up the stairs.
"Wait, you idiot, you're going to hurt yourself!" Gwen yelled as she chased after him.
The others followed behind him, though Ned did grab the cart before jogging after the group.
===
"Goddammit, Pete, it's not that hard!" The class watched in silence as Leo, with the help of Peter, struggled to get the clock into the room.
The clock was too tall to fit through the door frame, so Leo had to angle it to get it through. Since he couldn't show off too much strength, Leo pretended to struggle a bit.
Peter noticed him struggling, and volunteered to help. The issue is, like Leo, Peter also hides his enhanced strength, so right now they are in a stalemate of acting like they are weaker than they actually are.
"I will choke the life out of you, Peter, just stop moving!" Peter stopped moving.
With a slight nudge forward, the clock went through the door. Ned placed down the rolling cart, and Leo and Peter lowered it onto the cart.
Leo and Peter stared at each other. "....Sorry," Peter apologized.
"That should not have been that difficult," Leo told him. The class just continued to stare at them.
Mr. Harrington walked into the classroom. "Morning, everybody, how was- wow." Mr. Harrington cut himself off as he saw Leo's and Gwen's project.
"Impressive, I know," Leo answered.
"Where did you get this?"
"I carved it myself, 3D printed most of the mechanical parts, but I still assembled and designed them myself." Gwen let out a cough. "We designed them." Leo corrected himself.
"Well, I can't wait to hear your presentation. I have a feeling we should save it for the end." Mr. Harrington told them with some excitement.
Which caused every other student to glance at their diagrams and projects. Then back at Leo's homemade grandfather clock, and realize Leo might have screwed them by destroying the curve.
===
Most of the class's projects, or assignments, were pretty simple. Betty Brant built a mini handcar and gave a brief explanation on how it functions.
A few people groaned when they saw Harry's and MJ's project, as well as Harry and Peter's project. Mainly because since they are the smart kids, they usually set the curve.
Harry explains how his centrifuge functions, using stored kinetic energy from the rubber band.
Peter explained how the impact of the two marbles generates heat on impact, and how using certain materials can generate static electricity.
Eventually, it was Leo's and Gwen's turn. The explanation and science was pretty simple. It was a grandfather clock that used mechanical energy to function. Inside was a high-tension spring that has a large amount of stored kinetic energy. Using gravity to slowly pull the weights downward, this drives a system of gears, while a swinging pendulum ensures the gears turn at a precise, regulated speed to tick off the seconds.
The entire time, you could just see how frustrated everybody else was.
While the science itself was pretty simple, the main thing was the clock itself. Handcrafted, custom-built mechanism. It's pretty impressive considering this is a high school science project, even if it's a STEM school.
===
As soon as class ended, they stepped into the hallway where Gwen immediately embraced him.
"Yes!" Gwen leapt into Leo's arms.
"Well…somebody's happy," Leo awkwardly stated.
"Of course I am, did you see Mr. Harrington's reaction? He loved it, it'll probably be my best grade I ever had." Gwen answered as she separated from him.
"We're freshmen, of course it is. It's literally our only major project so far this year."
"And you screwed everybody else with your success." Harry chimed as he walked up from behind.
"I'm pretty sure we got like a B+," MJ told him.
"To my Dad, a B is a D."
Leo narrowed his eyes as he did the math. "Then wouldn't that mean an A is a C?"
"A is a B, and A+ is just an A," Harry explained.
"Your Dad's math is weird." Harry just gave him an annoyed look, but it shifted into one of agreement.
"Hey guys," Ned greeted as he and Peter joined the group. "I was thinking. Since we got the day off tomorrow for Veterans Day, how about we spend the day working on the servers?"
"Sorry, but I can't." Peter answered. "I'm helping Aunt May tomorrow at F.E.A.S.T," he explained.
Gwen stiffened for a moment.
Leo smiled. "What are the odds, me and Gwen are volunteering too."
"You and Gwen?" MJ asked in a very curious and excited tone. Gwen blushed as she realized what MJ was up to. "Are they still looking for volunteers?"
"Well- I," Gwen tried to answer, but Peter beat her to it.
"Always," he answered, unaware of what's going on.
"Hmm, maybe I'll come too." MJ smiled, a plan forming in her head.
"Well, if all four of you guys are going, then I want to come too." Ned chimed in, ruining the mood.
Harry smiled, also planning to ruin the mood. "What the heck, I'll come too. Maybe take some pictures, it could be some good PR."
Peter frowned. "You shouldn't volunteer if it's just for attention."
"It's Harry, what do you expect?" MJ told Peter as she put an arm around his shoulder and dragged him away. "That reminds me, any chance you can help me with my math homework? I kind of fell behind because of Mr. Harrington's project."
As they walked away, Peter leaned in beside Harry. ".....I don't get it. She's clearly into him, why doesn't she just make a move already?" Leo whispered.
"It's MJ, we have no idea what's running through her mind." Harry whispered back.
"What are you whispering about?" Ned asked, also whispering.
"We'll tell you when you're older," Leo answered.
Ned just frowned in confusion. ".....what?"
===
Note From Author
So, big news! I've started working on a new story. Don't worry, it won't affect Leveling Gacha In Marvel. but I already have the first few chapters of the new story complete.
It's called Game Creator Within The Digital Circus. The premise is that the MC was transmigrated into a digital world with a game creator system, based on stories like Game Creator in Marvel. The interesting detail is that the MC is Caine from The Amazing Digital Circus. If I'm being honest, it's more of a theme than a major story aspect, just something I thought would make it stand out and be interesting. The games will exist within Marvel, and maybe other worlds later on, like DC or MHA.
Either way, I just wanted to ask if you guys would be interested in reading it. Maybe I'll post Chapter One over the weekend and see what people think. Don't worry, I'll take it down by Monday, or at least by Wednesday, when the next chapter will be uploaded.