Let's reach 250 Power Stones for an extra chapter
***
The morning air outside Midtown High feels oddly normal, almost too normal, after everything that's happened. I walk beside Jessica, her steps a little hesitant, but there's a new resolve in her eyes. She's dressed in simple jeans and a hoodie, a stark contrast to the hospital gown she wore just days ago.
She's still a little quiet, but it's a different kind of quiet now. Less withdrawn, more… thoughtful. It's good to see.
"You ready for this?" I ask, nudging her gently with my shoulder.
She glances at me, a small smile playing on her lips. "As I'll ever be. Thanks for… you know. Everything."
"Don't mention it," I reply, but I mean it. Seeing her back on her feet, ready to face the world again, makes all the weirdness of the past few weeks worth it.
Just then, I hear my name being called, a rush of familiar voices. Gwen and Peter. They practically barrel towards us, their faces a mixture of relief and pure joy.
"Jessica!" Gwen squees. She throws her arms around Jessica in a tight hug. "Oh my gosh, it's so good to see you! We were so worried."
Peter isn't far behind, his own grin wide. "Yeah, seriously! We heard you were awake, but seeing you here… wow."
Jessica blushes, a genuine, happy blush this time, as she returns the hugs. "It's good to see you guys too. Really good."
They pull back, their eyes scanning Jessica, taking in her return to normalcy. Gwen's gaze is especially earnest. "We'll get you caught up on everything, you know. Schoolwork, what you missed…" she trails off, her brow furrowing slightly. "It's a lot, I know, but we'll help. Together."
Jessica nods, her expression softening. "I'd really like that, Gwen. Thank you." The gratitude in her voice is unmistakable. It's good to see her reconnecting. This is what it's all about, right? The connections, the support.
"Come on," Peter says, already steering us towards the entrance. "Let's get inside before we're late. I'll show you the ropes. It's a lot to take in, but you'll be fine. We've all got your back."
Mr. Harrison's voice is a dull drone, another Tuesday morning lecture about post-graduation plans. He's talking about college applications, internships, the usual predictable path. Honestly, it all feels so… small. I stare out the window, tracing the path of a distant jet, and a familiar dissatisfaction settles in my gut. College? Internships? I want to build something, something that matters, something that can change the damn world. Not just churn out another cog for the machine.
My fingers subtly work under the desk, navigating the sleek interface of my Digivice. The SYSTEM SHOP scrolls past basic consumables and low-level Digi-Memories. Nothing here is going to cut it. I need something bigger.
Then, buried in a section I rarely browse, I see it: EDEN (Full Simulation). The description paints a picture of a virtual reality network so advanced, it's practically a second world. Users don't just view information; they enter it. Shopping, business, entertainment – a complete digital overlay for real life. It sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi flick, a next-generation web service that blurs the lines between the digital and the real. The images flashing on the screen show sprawling, futuristic cityscapes, vibrant digital forests, and bustling cyber-markets. It's mind-blowing.
My jaw practically hits the floor. Building something like that… in this world? The possibilities race through my mind. I could create anything, shape it, control it. Imagine the power, the influence…
Then I see the price.
Millions of Digi-Coins.
My stomach plummets. I discreetly check my current balance: [15890 Digi-Coins]. Yeah, right. Millions. I let out a silent groan. That's not happening anytime soon.
Frustrated, I backtrack, scrolling through the system's offerings again. I try searching for "blueprints" or "foundational designs." Bingo. There it is: EDEN Blueprint (Core Architecture). The description promises a foundational framework, capable of custom development, but it comes with a caveat: "significant resources and expertise required." My eyes catch the price.
50,000 Digi-Coins.
My spirits instantly lift. Fifty thousand? That's… actually doable. I can make that happen. I start mentally crunching numbers, figuring out how many missions, how many supply boxes I'd need to open. A grin spreads across my face. This is it. This is the project.
I stare at the Digivice screen, the EDEN Blueprint glowing like a forbidden treasure. Core architecture for a full VR network—immersive, interactive, endless possibilities. But the fine print hits hard: "Requires advanced computational resources, engineering teams, and real-world integration." No way I build this solo. I'd need labs, servers, geniuses with PhDs in quantum whatever.
Tony Stark flashes in my mind.
The guy who just pulled strings for Peter's internship, who flew in during the bridge chaos, who owes me for that poison pill saving his ass from palladium rot. Tony lives for this stuff—next-gen tech, world-changing toys. He'd eat EDEN alive, geek out over the data streams, the avatar syncing. Hell, he'd fund it just to slap his name on it.
A plan snaps together, crisp as a flowchart in my head:
Objective 1: Grind 50K Digi-Coins. Missions for drops, crack open Supply Boxes like piñatas, flip Stark stocks if they spike again.
Objective 2: Buy the damn blueprint. Lock it down before some glitch erases it.
Objective 3: Pitch Tony. Show him the specs, sell the vision—collaborative goldmine. "Hey, Iron Man, wanna own cyberspace?"
Objective 4: Use my in. Peter's his new lab rat, Gwen's connected through Oscorp fallout, and I've got the Cipher cred.
I lean back in my chair, a smirk tugging my lips. Mr. Harrison's voice fades to static.
This is it. My shot to build something epic.
Eyes lock on the blueprint. Purpose surges through me—hot, electric.
Game on.
"Kepler! Earth to Ethan Kepler!"
Mr. Harrison's voice yanks me back. I blink, Digivice still clutched under the desk, EDEN blueprint frozen on the screen.
"Daydreaming again? This isn't nap time. Pay attention or you'll end up flipping burgers instead of changing the world."
Classmates chuckle—Flash's laugh the loudest, of course. Heat creeps up my neck.
"Sorry, Mr. Harrison. Won't happen again."
He grunts, turns back to the board. Jessica shoots me a sympathetic glance from across the aisle, her lips twitching in a half-smile. Gwen whispers something to Peter, who smirks my way.
I pocket the Digivice, mind racing. That blueprint's still mine to grab. Tony's my in—Peter's already working for him. One solid pitch, and the EDEN project can begin.
***
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