Chapter 11 - When the News is More than Just News

"Overnight, the news got out. Overnight, the campus stirred. The GACSF, or the Golden Alliance College Security Force, and colloquially known as the 'Donut Crew,' was having a hard time on their hands. Somehow, in a single night, 13 TVs were busted, 40 fights broke out, drunks and drugged were nearly comatose on the sidewalks, and everybody still outside was smoking. 'It's the end of the world!' One GACSF membered hearing.

Another of the fabled crew decided he had had enough. This young hero decided to start a rally of hearts. His reasoning? 'Their hearts were too broken. They had fallen apart. Nobody deserves to live like that. Nobody can live like that. It's inhumane. Things like this in the world need fixing. It's just simply not okay.'

What caused all of this? If you haven't heard about it yet, don't worry. Some of us on set only learned of it recently too.

The daughter of the famous businessman-turned-politician, Xander Warsaw, is the Golden Alliance College's number one belle. She is reported to have a kind disposition, grades above 100 in all of her classes, both theoretical and physical, and is a companion of the legendary Ice Feather Dragon Spirit Ally. She's knowledgeable in every field and prominent in the arts of piano, chess, and lyre. To take it further, her inherent beauty is said to have just as much charm as her sense of style.

in summation, she's the dream girl of every man on campus. Many men have taken their positive inclinations further on a road too far to easily recover from. That is, until the news we have received most recently. Sia Alexandra Warsaw, this young woman most beloved by all, has, in a recording, pledged her confidence to the heart of her fiancee. 

She has accepted a seemingly competitive bet with her father. Xander Warsaw, who we believe can only dote on his daughter, raised the bet himself out of fear of the heart of her betrothed. The bet is this: that her fiancee raise 8.37 billion in total assets, or the engagement is anulled. A secondary bet was raised, but it was even more impossible. If the young fiancee can reach 83.7 billion dollars in funds, Xander Warsaw will give him all of his assets in return. The deadline? 10 years from today.

Now, you might be asking who this fiancee is. Who was able to steal the heart of the young Miss Warsaw? According to the recording? A young man by the name of Veil Tremmons. What's hidden behind the veil? Find out tonight, 6PM, on channel 8, your personal Nero News Network, United."

Xander turned the TV off and slammed the remote into the couch easily. His assistant, Grace, was right inside the door. She knew to stay silent in times like these.

A call came in on Xander's office phone. Xander picked it up, weariness betrayed on his face. But his voice came through crystal clear with confidence: a trait greatly admired by his assistant.

"Xander? This is Mr. Korimara from the Unity Party."

"Senator Korimara. I take it you've seen the news?" Xander responded with a dry smile.

"Yes We are wondering how you plan to spin it."

"To be honest with you Senator, there shouldn't be a need other than a public disclosure of the truth."

"The truth being...?" The senator airily replied.

"The truth is that I believe that young Veil Tremmons is more than capable of getting past this difficulty. It would have gone better if this hadn't been publicized, but it can still be used. He is chosen by my daughter, after all."

"Smart. Believing the impossible is not a good trait in a politician. But stirring hope in the young generation is. We'll be keeping a close eye on how this develops before the rally in September. Have a great rest of the day, Senator."

"You too, Senator." The call ended.

"Like the smelly freaking peepot will ever get close to my daughter!" Xander yelled. His assistant quickly shut the door. Xander sat down on his desk.

Grace came around the room and gave him a hug. "She'll be alright. She's a fine young woman who has been taught how to handle these kinds of matters. You've raised her well."

Xander sighed. After a few minutes, he responded. "Thank you for the truth, as always, Grace."

It was mostly imperceptible... But Grace smiled.

----~~~~---

"Sheetrock, Sia, how the living freak did this get out?" Miya stammered.

"My questions exactly. I'm clear, Father's clear. I know you didn't mention it, and that only leaves the neighbor next door. These walls are thin. Why don't you go ask her?"

"Sure." Miya replied, but Sia quickly held up a finger. She then grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a word on it before sharing it with Miya. 

Miya looked at the paper. the word, "BUG" was written on it. The two of them rolled their eyes in sync. Then they did it again. The third time was in sync too. They had been through waaaay too much the past several days to do any less than three eye rolls. Together, they nodded. Miya went to the kitchen to grab some earplugs, and Sia fiddled with her ohone. Coming back, Miya gave two earplugs to Sia and started instaling the other two. Within 5 seconds, they had both inserted the earplugs into their ears. Within 15 seconds, the special-order earplugs had fully plugged their ears.

Sia looked at Miya and held up her fingers. "3...2...1....." As soon as the count hit zero, Sia hit the big red button on her phone. A screeching alarm poured out at multiple frequencies. The sound system on the bug was most definitely broken, and a loud cacophony of screaming beast pets broke the dorm. 

Miya stretched her arms. 'Might as well...' She thought as she jumped backwards onto her bed.

Sia rolled her eyes at Miya's outlandish behavior. She smiled, then messaged her father. "Bug on my side, Send Alice?"

"Taken care of." Her father replied. "Good luck with the bet." He added.

----~~~~---

Off in the distance, a predatory jackal realized... he bit off more than he could chew. And then, well... he couldn't realize.

----~~~~----

Veil stretched his arms and yawned. 'Time to get up,' he thought.

He looked around for his newfound Spirit Allies. Nano was where he left her, but Kirby was not.

'Huh. Where'd he go?' Veil asked himself. He didn't have an answer.

He decided to get out of bed and quickly changed his position. It was indeed true that Kirby's headspikes hurt a teensy little bit if and when you poke them too hard. 

He rolled into position and off the *other* side of the bed. Stretching his legs, Veil felt finally ready for further movement. He turned around and looked at Kirby. The little hedgehog was in the lotus position, and performing the Universal Growth Druid Body Sutra. In the middle of the night, he must have advanced. He was at the third minor tier!

'Makes sense for now to join him.' Veil thought, and quickly sat down next to the tiny hedgehog. Assuming the lotus position, he began to push his Spirit Ki in the same manner indicated in the memories he had received from old Kubble. As his Spirit Ki continued to cycle in the paths of what he had nicknamed the, "UG'D Bod Sutra," his mind began to calm. And so the process continued.

It wasn't until 5P.M. that Veil stood up and made his way back over to the bed. The reason? Nano was letting off an alarm.

"Nano, what's going on?"

"I have two alerts for Sender. While one can wait, the other is much more important. May I proceed?"

"Go for it, Nano."

"Firstly, there is a piece of news in the surrounding area regarding your personage. Your involvement with young miss Warsaw has become public knowledge. In addition, the public has been made aware of a bet between the young miss Warsaw and her father. If you can make 8.37 Billion dollars within the next 10 years, you win her father's approval. If not, well... it's gone. More than that however, if you can make a full 83.7 billion within the next ten years, Xander Warsaw will gift you all of his assets. Would you like me to find the funds within the next day?"

Throughout the one-sided conversation, Veil's face went through multiple transitions. First, he was shocked that the news got out so fast. Secondly, he was surprised that Sia would agree to the bet. But he was made content by the mere fact that she believed in his capabilities, and was resolved to see it through.

"How exactly do you plan to find funds?" Veil asked Nano, his voice betraying a hint of accusation.

"My superior reconnaissance capabilities allow me to both game the stock market and blackmail those capable of evil-doings. I can also game-ify online shopping and trading, although that requires a warehouse capable of such maneuvers."

"Stock yes, blackmail no, we can work on the shopping and trading once we get there. What are our current funds?"

"You currently own $1,218,337.62 in the bank account I set up for you."

"WAIT, WHAT?!?!"

"Sender, I took pleasure in your adopting of this Bamphone and I decided, based on your preferences, that the stock market would be a good way to start while you were sleeping last night. I started the funds using a total of one Freedom Alliance Dollar (FAD)."

"..." Veil was dumbstruck. Within a few days, he had gone from being broke to becoming a millionaire. Then again, he still had yet to reach a thousand of those, his first billion. At least it'd be easier than he thought.

"Nano, do you still have a copy of Miya's contacts in your registry database?"

"Yes, Sender. I keep information on everything I come across. While i can't keep video of everyday life, I can reduce the format of videos regarding important events and keep notes on everything I see and hear."

'...Nano is my goldfinger. Definitely my goldfinger. Goldfinger. Definitely a goldfinger. Most definitely a goldfinger. Thank you Nano for being my goldfinger. Goldfingers are good. I have a goldfinger. I literally struck gold. My finger strikes gold every time I touch Nano.' Veil thoughts unraveled furiously inside his head.

Nano spoke up. "Sender, is there anything you require regarding Miya's contacts? I am capable of almost anything, you know."

Veil startled. "O-oh! Um.... Yeah." He coughed slightly. Then, "Sooo, can you message Sia from a untraceable line a photo of the name on the account, the original date and balance, alongside the current?"

Nano smiled. Or at least, if phones could smile, Nano would be. "Sure thing, Sender. I'm on it!"

Nano sent Sia the aforementioned message. She thought it looked quite plain, though, so she added her own little heart emoji. What she did for Sender behind the scenes was smart. He seemed to like her proactivity.

Veil coughed slightly... again. "Nano," his voice boomed, "what was the second alert?" 

"Sender, the second alert is that if you continue your cultivation, the room may experience a small spiritual explosion as you advance to the next great tier. This will potentially cause the surrounding spirit viruses to escape, in which you will lose several valuable assets and potentially cause the destruction to the surrounding area."

'...Wait, what?!?'