17 Chapter 17 – Prepping
[Main POV]
Arriving back in Houston was a blast. I got to meet the president, did more interviews, and celebrated with everyone back at the orphanage.
I spent a good chunk of the money remodeling the orphanage. The walls were repaired, everyone got their own bed, and along with the increase in money Ms. Davis got from the church, we got good school supplies and food.
I didn't need to eat (I ate for the taste) and I could transmute any material I needed. But the money would be useful for future projects. And I wanted to continue paying Olivia, since she needed money to live outside the orphanage. So I stashed several hundred thousand dollars in my basement.
I ended up falling into a routine:
Fake waking up (I didn't need to sleep).
Spend 16 hours working on projects (typing out books, making animations, or developing an application), while eating an occasional meal here and there.
Fake going to sleep.
Spend 8 hours practicing my powers while everyone was asleep.
Olivia and Emily would shadow me throughout the day.
While I was working on my projects, they would ask questions, getting a good understanding of the product. I was essentially training them to be able to explain whatever I was doing to a third party. This way, they could act on my behalf if necessary.
Sometimes they would stay out and watch me practice my powers. Emily would always cheer me on, while Olivia watched silently. She'd talk to me afterwards though and compliment me in private.
.
Time skip to November 1985
[Main POV]
My grind continued for a year. During this time, I won the State and National Chess Championships (again), and I soon found myself a week away from the World Chess Championship, this time in Tokyo.
"This is so exciting, I always wanted to go to Tokyo!" Emily voiced.
"Yes, I can't wait to try the sushi," Olivia agreed, "sushi in Texas just doesn't taste right."
Well, time to drop the hammer. "Yeah, about that, the two of you'll be going to California instead."
"What? But my lord –" Emily started, but Olivia interrupted her, "Understood."
Emily caught herself before joining Olivia in silence. Both were clearly disappointed. I sighed and walked towards them. As I extended my hands to pat their heads, I realized they both had at least 9 inches on me. Well, fuck, moment ruined.
"Don't worry, the two of you will have plenty of opportunities to travel in the future."
I handed Olivia 3 notebooks, and Emily a few sheets of paper stapled together.
"Olivia, here are the 3 stories I promised the publishing company. I'm giving you Life of Pi, Coraline, and the Da Vinci Code."
Olivia nodded. She was already familiar with all 3 books. Each was a one shot that would gain much more popularity and cultural relevance once their movies were made. I'd feel bad for the authors I was ripping off if I didn't see dollar signs everywhere.
"Emily, work with Olivia to find voice actors for the roles I listed. Make sure they can come to Houston for the dates listed."
"Yes, my lord," she purred in response.
I nodded before walking back to my desk. Opening the drawer, I pulled out 3 objects, handing one to each of them. Each object was about the size of a palm, small enough to easily fit into a pocket.
"What's this?" Emily asked, tilting her head to the side.
"It's my latest invention: the iPhone. It's a phone that will revolutionize the way this world communicates and engage with technology. With its iconic design and cutting-edge features, the iPhone is a symbol of innovation and elegance. Its vibrant and high-resolution display brings images and videos to life, providing a visually captivating experience. The iPhone's powerful processing capabilities ensure smooth performance, allowing users to seamlessly navigate through apps, browse the internet, and multitask effortlessly. Its intuitive user interface and intuitive operating system provide a user-friendly experience, while its vast selection of applications caters to various needs and interests. Equipped with advanced cameras, the iPhone captures stunning photos and videos, making it a versatile tool for creativity and self-expression. Furthermore, its integration with various services and technologies enables seamless connectivity, whether it's for communication, entertainment, or productivity. The iPhone represents the epitome of modern mobile technology, combining style, functionality, and innovation into a single device." I took a bow, expecting applause.
Olivia looked at the device before she simply stating, "so it's a phone, computer, and camera combined."
"You make it sound so boring! It's more than that! Instant messaging, Bluetooth communication between devices, facial and voice recognition! All these and more in the palm of your hand! Not to mention all the apps I've been developing!"
"What are you using to communicate between devices?" Emily asked.
"Why do you think we've been launching satellites into space?" I asked back. "Anyway, just use those to contact me if anything goes wrong."
"Wait," Olivia said, "there're no holes in this. How do we charge them?"
"You don't." I simply stated.
Silence reigned. "Apollo," Emily said slowly, "where does the electricity that the phone uses come from."
Well, it's now or never. "So, you guys know how I'm the sun god, right?"
"Right…"
"The sun produces energy by turning Hydrogen into Helium, right?"
"Apollo…", Emily said as her eyes widened.
"Well, just imagine having a similar atomic process in your phone!"
"Apollo! Do you expect us to carry Hydrogen bombs in our pockets?!" Emily asked desperately.
"Well, it actually operates nuclear fusion on the Nitrogen in the air, so… no?"
"Uh, bluh, muhh – Olivia, say something!" Emily turned looking at her.
I looked at Olivia to find her smiling. Not gonna lie, I was getting kind of freaked out.
"I knew it," Olivia whispered before looking at me straight in the eyes, "You lied about using the cryogenics of Heisenberg Uncertainty Particles."
"When did you figure it out," I asked curiously.
"When you revealed yourself as Apollo." She stated, "I thought you would have used solar panels, but I didn't see any…"
"Clever girl." I turned towards Emily. "Well, as you can see, none of us are dead after sleeping over a nuclear reactor. And I sealed your phones using my powers, so there's nothing to worry about."
Emily thought about it before she made a cute "humph!" sound and left. As Olivia followed her, I waved and said, "Have fun with your California rolls! Don't worry, I'll eat enough sushi for the three of us!"
In response I got a couple flips of the bird. How rude.
