Theo: Hey, heading out soon. See you at Gong Cha @ 1?
Sarah: YES! Leaving now! So ready for bubble tea and a break from reality! See ya there!
Her eagerness was almost palpable through the screen. She was definitely keen to talk.
The Gong Cha was bright, loud, and packed with a mix of students and office workers on their lunch breaks. Cheerful pop music thumped from hidden speakers. Theo found a small table near the back, slightly away from the main crush around the ordering counter.
Sarah arrived moments later, weaving through the crowd. She looked tired, her usual bright energy dimmed by visible stress. She slumped into the chair opposite him.
"Okay," she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Do not ask me about work. Seriously. The restructure announcement is Friday. Rumour mill is working overtime. My team is basically toast, everyone's updating their resumes. It's… bleak."
"Sounds rough," Theo said, feeling a flicker of genuine sympathy, overlaid with the memory of his own unceremonious exit from the corporate world. "Been there. The uncertainty is the worst part." He decided to offer a sliver of his own experience, carefully edited. "When I got pushed out of my old job at the bank a few months back, it felt like the end of the world. Total blindside." He shrugged. "But honestly? Looking back? Best thing that ever happened to me. Forced me to figure things out on my own. Sometimes one door closing just forces you to find a better one."
Sarah looked at him, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "You got pushed out? From a bank? Wow. Sorry, that sucks. But… yeah." She managed a small smile. "Maybe you're right. Maybe this is the kick I need to actually do something with my cycling idea." Her momentary optimism faded slightly. "If I don't end up completely broke first."
"Let's order," Theo suggested, diverting before she could ask more about his past. "My treat."
They navigated the complex menu. Theo opted for a standard Pearl Milk Tea, sticking to the basics. Sarah, perhaps needing comfort, went for a vibrant purple Taro Milk Tea with pearls. They chatted about trivialities while waiting for their numbers to be called amidst the cheerful chaos of the shop.
Their drinks arrived, sealed plastic cups filled with milky tea and dark, chewy tapioca pearls. As they sat back down, Theo watched Sarah stir her drink, her expression still clouded with worry about the looming announcement. She needs a pick-me-up, he thought. A small, inconsequential application of his power. A gesture? An experiment? Both. While she was distracted, looking at the menu board again, Theo casually rested his hand near the base of her cup on the table. He focused on the drink itself, the tea, the milk, the taro flavour, the pearls. Taro Milk Tea. +1 Overall Quality/Flavour. Ping. The enhancement flowed, invisible, undetectable.
Sarah finally picked up her drink, took a long sip through the wide straw, sucking up a few pearls. Her eyes widened dramatically. "Whoa." She took another sip, longer this time, a look of pure, surprised delight spreading across her face. "Okay, this is AMAZING! Seriously, this might be the best bubble tea I've ever had. The taro flavour is so… taro-y, and it's perfectly creamy, not too sweet, and the pearls are perfectly chewy! How is this Gong Cha? Usually they're just okay." She beamed at him. "Maybe this is my lucky day!"
Theo chuckled, a genuine, brief sound. "Must be. Maybe they got a new supplier, or just made a perfect batch." He deflected easily, enjoying her momentary, enhanced happiness. It felt… good, in a small way. And it was another data point, enhancing other beverages worked just as well as with coffee and other food.
Feeling buoyed by the drink, Sarah dove back into her venture idea. Theo steered the conversation, expressing cautious interest, asking probing questions disguised as curiosity.
"So, any potential backers yet?" he asked.
"No," she admitted. "Haven't even looked. Wanted to get the prototype further along."
"And the prototype? Is it something tangible people can test?"
"Not yet. It's mostly back-end algorithms and a basic web interface for visualizing the data right now. Needs a lot more work before anyone could actually use it."
"Right. And the hardware side?" Theo asked, subtly shifting focus. "You mentioned Garmin, Fitbit… but are you planning any physical product yourself? Custom sensors? A dedicated bike computer using your analysis?"
Sarah's eyes lit up again. "Eventually! That's the dream! Imagine a bike computer that doesn't just show data, but actively interprets it in real-time using my models! Or maybe even lighter, more accurate wearable sensors specifically for cyclists. But the hardware development… that’s way down the line. Huge costs, manufacturing challenges…"
Hardware, Theo noted internally. Wearables. Bike data systems. So there was a potential physical component eventually. An angle where his +1 could genuinely, significantly add value, enhancing the durability, accuracy, or efficiency of sensors, or the tools used to manufacture them. Interesting.
He leaned back, adopting his pragmatic advisor persona again. "Okay, look. It's a great long-term vision. But right now?" He held her gaze. "Focus on survival. Keep the Meta job as long as you can, stack cash. Work on the software prototype evenings and weekends. Get that solid first. Prove the core concept. The hardware angle… that comes later, maybe with investment." He added, carefully planting a seed, "It definitely sounds like it has legs, though. I'd be interested in hearing how it progresses. Maybe… maybe there's even a way I could get involved down the track, once you've got more concrete plans, especially if hardware becomes a bigger piece. I’d need to do some research myself."
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Sarah looked thoughtful, then nodded, a measure of calm returning to her expression. "Okay. Okay, you're right. Deep breaths. Survive the restructure, keep coding on the side. Thanks, Theo. Seriously." The relief in her voice was genuine.
The rest of their meeting was lighter. They talked about cycling routes, complained about tech industry jargon, discovered a shared liking for a particular sci-fi author. When they parted ways, agreeing vaguely to "catch up again soon," Theo felt a sense of cautious optimism. The interaction had been low-risk, yielded valuable information about Sarah's long-term plans (hardware!), and he'd managed to lift her spirits slightly, partly through advice, partly through a secret +1 enhancement. Maybe alliances weren't entirely impossible. But the terms would have to be his. Always.
Week 16 – Wednesday
Wednesday night. The moment Theo had been waiting for all week. Time to check on Jono and the aftermath of the chicken experiment. He approached Maria's Charcoal Chicken just before the usual dinner rush hour should have started. Unlike Monday night's chaotic scene, the shop was utterly dead quiet. No queue outside, no frantic energy within. Through the window, he could see Jono slumped behind the counter, bathed in the blue glow of his phone, the picture of bored indifference.
Theo pushed the door open, the little bell jangling forlornly. Jono looked up, recognizing him with a flicker of vague recollection. "Oh. Hey. You again."
"Yeah, thought I'd grab some dinner," Theo said casually. "Half chicken and chips again, please."
Jono sighed, heaving himself upright. "Sure thing, man." He performed the same lacklustre routine as last Thursday, grabbing a pre-cooked chicken half from the warmer, hacking at it carelessly, dumping pale chips into the fryer.
"So," Theo began, leaning on the counter. "How's business been? Looked crazy busy when I walked past on Monday night."
Jono actually let out a short, barking laugh, devoid of humour. "Crazy? Man, you have no idea! Saturday and Sunday were insane! Absolute madness!" He shook his head, looking genuinely aggrieved. "Lines out the door, people yelling, couldn't keep up. Had to turn people away! Haven't seen it like that since… well, since my parents ran the place."
"Wow," Theo said, keeping his face neutral. "What happened? Did you run a special or something?"
"Nah, man, that's the weird thing! Did nothing different!" Jono shrugged, bewildered. "People just went nuts. Said the chicken was amazing, just like the old days. Got a couple of killer reviews online." He paused, frowning. "Then Monday night? Place was packed again, but everyone started complaining! Said the chicken was dry, chips were crap. Same as usual!" He gestured helplessly. "Go figure. Knew it was too good to be true."
He sounded genuinely baffled, completely unaware of the temporary technological intervention.
"Running a shop like this, easy if you actually try, you know?" Jono continued, his tone shifting to boastful justification. "Proves I could do it if I wanted to. But honestly? That rush? Total nightmare. Not worth the stress. I'm glad it's back to normal now, quiet." He scooped the chips, over-salted them again. "Besides," he added, leaning closer conspiratorially, "like I told you, this place? It's holding me back. Got my crypto bot almost ready for beta launch. Gonna make millions. Then I can finally sell this dump." He looked around the shop with open distaste. "So hey, if you like the chicken," he said, sliding the box towards Theo, "better eat up now. Might not be here much longer."
Theo almost laughed out loud. It was perfect. More perfect than he could have hoped. Jono attributed the entire success to a random fluke and the failure to normalcy, reinforcing his desire to sell. The experiment hadn't just validated the Tool Enhancement hypothesis. It had potentially presented Theo with his first target investment.
He paid for the food, thanking Jono with a non-committal nod. He didn't even bother opening the box this time; he knew exactly what sad, dry chicken and limp chips awaited him. He dropped it in the nearest bin as soon as he was out of sight, his mind already calculating, planning.
Week 16 – Sunday
The rest of Week 16 passed in a blur of intense, focused thought. The Tool Enhancement strategy felt solid, revolutionary. The Un-Enhance ability added layers of flexibility and safety he hadn't anticipated. The chicken shop experiment proved it worked in the real world, even under suboptimal conditions.
The possibilities sprawled before him. Buying Maria's Charcoal Chicken when Jono inevitably put it up for sale? Enhance the equipment permanently, hire competent staff (or keep Jono and just let the tools do the work?), reap the profits from restored quality and reputation. Low profile, steady income. Plausible.
Partnering with Sarah? Her hardware ideas, enhanced bike computers, better sensors, now seemed viable targets for his +1. Could he subtly steer her project, maybe offer 'seed funding' in exchange for equity and input on the hardware side, using his power to give her product an impossible edge? Risky, involved trust, but the potential payoff, combining her skills with his secret, was enormous. The other complication, likely required a lot more money, more than he had available now, but still its worth keeping an eye on.
Or other small businesses? Struggling cafes like Corner Perk? Local bakeries with inconsistent ovens? Laundromats with inefficient machines? Any business reliant on physical tools or processes could potentially be 'optimized'. Enhance the key equipment, take a consulting fee, or buy equity? The models were endless.
But each path held risk. Investing required significant capital, the chicken shop might be relatively cheap, but other ventures wouldn't be. Partnering required trust. Scaling any service risked exposure. He needed to choose carefully. His ~$60k felt like a lot, but it could vanish quickly with one bad investment.
He spent the weekend sketching out business plans, researching commercial leases, looking into small business loans, trying to model potential returns versus risks. The exhilaration of discovery was tempered by the weight of decision. He had the key, the hypothesis was proven, the new ability offered options. Now came the hard part: choosing the right lock to open.
Theodore Sterling - Financial Ledger (End of Week 16)
- Starting Balance (Beginning Week 16): $59,545.00 (Carried over from End of Week 15)
- Income (Week 16):
- No Sales/Income Generating Activity: +$0.00
- Total Income: +$0.00
- Expenses (Week 16):
- Rent Paid (Week 16): -$450.00
- Living Expenses (Week 16): -$500.00
- Chicken Shop Purchase (Wednesday): -$15.00
- Bubble Tea Meeting (Est.): -$15.00 (Theo paid for both)
- Total Expenses: -$980.00
- Net Change (Week 16): +$0.00 (Income) - $980.00 (Expenses) = -$980.00
- Ending Balance (End of Sunday, Week 16): $58,565.00
Status: Week dedicated to validating 'Tool Enhancement' hypothesis and exploring new abilities. No income generated. Chicken shop experiment successfully confirmed that enhancing tools significantly improves output quality even with an unskilled operator, and effect is temporary when timed enhancement used. Confirmed 'Un-Enhance' rules further. Met with Sarah, discussed her venture, identified potential future hardware collaboration angle. Began strategic planning phase for next business venture based on 'Tool Enhancement' model (options include chicken shop acquisition, Sarah partnership, other small businesses). Financial reserves stable (~$58.6k). Major decisions pending on next investment/venture.