Arc One: Your Boss's Daughters

The very first thing you did was get your finances in order. It was an odd thing to focus on given the god-like power you now had, but it was a sensible choice. Unlike with the red orb that made you functionally invincible, with the blue orb you were still a fleshy mortal. This meant that you still needed to eat, drink, and sleep.

Before your power-up, you had humbly met those needs. You ate cup ramen, drank tap water, and slept in a moderately comfortable twin-sized bed. Now, you wanted more.

The very first day that you had gotten your powers, you didn't follow your first impulse and host an orgy. Instead, you went to a bank and used your powers to get yourself pumped up the chain of command, wresting control of each layer until you reached the top. From there you got authorization for a ten-million-dollar loan, due back in ten years.

The reason you went with this, instead of just convincing them to give you the money is because a lot of the infrastructure in charge of things like this was digital. The IRS, for instance, used reconciliations to take note of suspiciously large deposits of cash. If you don't have an explanation of where the money came from, they would come knocking.

You could deal with individuals, hypnotizing them into leaving- but you couldn't mind control an entire government organization. Even if you could, you didn't want to. It sounded like far too much work.

Instead, with a legitimate source of start-up acquired, you proceeded to spend the next month investing in what you had the most experience with: real estate. The vast majority of the cash went into the purchase of run-down properties. You intended to revamp them and resell them at a premium eventually.

Of your purchases, you only kept one property to himself- a mansion located in the more upscale segment of the city. You had made a few alterations to it to fit better with your new lifestyle, of course.

All in all, securing your financial security going forward took you a month with the bank's backing. With everything being handled, you turned to dismiss the last fragments of your old life. First was your old apartment; a dilapidated old thing that never had enough hot water. It was a joy to call the landowners and inform the Johnson's you were moving out.

The second was your old job. You had worked at Devon Real Estate Company under Jim Devon; a kind man but not necessarily one you were close friends with. He was always your boss before anything else, which made it difficult to relax around him. Still, you did mingle with him on occasion. Generally, he would invite you and a few coworkers over to his place when there was a big game around.

You weren't big on sports- watching them at least. You would prefer to play instead, but you never said no to Jim's invites. Part of it was politeness. He was your boss, and the last thing you wanted was to let on that you weren't as fond of him as you let on. The other part developed when you had gone over to his place and met his family; more specifically, his daughters.

Jim had two- they were his pride and joy. Even if you hadn't been looking for details about them, you would have picked up certain tidbits simply from how much Jim talked about them.

The elder of the two was Tiffany. At twenty-two, she was studying to be a chemist at the local university. Her particular leanings were towards biochemistry; she wanted to be a researcher in the pharmaceutical industry. It was a respectable branch of study, one that allowed her to make a large amount of money while helping people.

You cared far more for her looks than her aspirations or educational background however, and Tiffany was a vixen; long and angular.

It was her eyes that gave you that impression- her almond eyes were set into a slanted frame, a shape that was emphasized by her perfectly plucked eyebrows. A fashion choice made very deliberately. Her face was angular as well, with high pointed cheekbones giving her an aristocratic look. This too was heightened; not only by her eyes but also by her hair. A silky brunette mane that fell to mid-back. Her body completed her vixen look, with long legs and humble breasts.

Her younger sister, Veronica, was different in several ways. For starters, where Tiffany had chosen to go down the STEM route, Veronica had chosen to go down the liberal arts route and had excelled at it. Veronica was one of the up and coming talents of the musical world, a feat made extraordinary by her choice to specialize in classical music as opposed to something more modern. Veronica had latched onto the violin and decided that was what she was going to play; come hell or high water.

While you had a bit more interest in Veronica's career choice and specialty than you did her sisters, namely because you had a use for her skills, it was once more her looks that drew your attention. Veronica could pass for a barbie doll. She certainly had the features and the proportions for it.

Her eyes were a gorgeous sky-blue that gave her an opener, more approachable look than her sister. Her platinum blonde hair hung straight down her back, longer than her sisters. Whereas Tiffany's reached mid-back, Veronica's hair grazed her shapely ass. Her greatest asset was her tits, which looked obscenely large when compared to her relatively tiny frame.

In all honesty, despite their looks, they had slipped your mind initially. For so long, they had been out of your reach. They were richer than you, better educated, and gorgeous. Beyond this, their father was your boss. Even attempting to get close to them had been outside what you could expect, so you had resigned yourself to forget about them.

It wasn't until you were speaking to Jim over the phone, alerting him that you were resigning, that a thought occurred to you. Casually as you could, you asked, "Hey Jim, mind if I ask you something?" Without waiting for his reply you added, "Your younger daughter, Veronica, plays the violin right? Does she intend to make a career out of it?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, you know how I mentioned that I've recently inherited a bit of money from my grand-aunt?" You casually reference the public story for how you'd gotten your money, ingraining it into his mind before continuing. "I've realized that having money and being upper-class isn't quite the same thing."

Jim hum in what can be construed as agreement. Over the phone you hear something pouring. After a second, Jim replies. "How do you figure?"

"Well, I've been meeting the neighbors and they act differently. It's like they've got a private society here with codified behavioral rules. This way, even if someone does manage to get wealthy, they'll never be able to truly fit in. I've talked with the Richardsen's kid- yes as in those Richardsen's, don't interrupt- and you'll never believe how many things the kid is being tutored in. Ancient Greek, Latin, finance, music, grammar, and he's only ten!"

"Sounds like he's getting a classical education."

You can hear the amusement in Jim's voice, which doesn't help your confusion any. "What's classical education?"

"It's- never mind. Just google it. You were saying something about my daughter?"

"Yeah, about that. Two things. First, I intend to host a house warming party and I'm going to be inviting my neighbors; all of whom are rich and well educated. Given the neighborhood, a live musician wouldn't be amiss. Classical music might be appreciated."

Jim caught on fast. "And you want Veronica to play." It wasn't a question.

Nevertheless, you answered him, lacing your voice with your power. "I think you'll agree that it's a wonderful opportunity for Veronica. As I've mentioned, my neighbors are certainly rich enough to be able to hire a musician. It'll help her get some experience too."

"You're right," Jim agreed. Even without your powers, you thought you made a solid case. "That does sound like a wonderful chance. What was the second thing you needed her for?"

"You remember how I mentioned that everyone here has their little society? Well nearly everyone seems to know a thing or two about music, and most seem to be able to play an instrument at least decently well in addition to that. Depending on how she does during the party, I think I might want to hire her as a tutor."

Here, Jim hesitates. In a slow voice, he answers, "I don't know about that John. Veronica is still in school, and given where you live now- well it's a bit of a commute, I think you'll agree-"

"Hundred-thousand dollars." A pause. "You mentioned Veronica wanted to play for one of the major orchestra's right? Well if she got a position, then she would be making around a hundred thousand dollars annually. Most orchestras choose their line-up through blind auditions, meaning that they won't see you or know anything about you. They will hear you play through a screen and decide based on how well you play. A college degree isn't required or particularly helpful. All of this is if she gets hired at all. Orchestras are very competitive.

"I, on the other hand, am willing to pay her seventy-five thousand dollars annually as a starting salary, with six-month assessments and the possibility of a raise up to a hundred-thousand. Provided, of course, that she is all that you say she is."

"She is- I assure you, she is, but why her?" It was the first time you had heard Jim stammer. You smiled. Your terms were more than generous, but given that you had a near-infinite source of money, it was hardly an issue.

Softening your voice, you reply, "I trust you Jim, but you know what they say. Trust but verify. If your daughter is as talented as you say she is, then she is a talent worth recruiting. So, do we have a deal?"

"I think she'll be ecstatic at the opportunity, and I think you have a deal. While I am Veronica's father, I don't make her choices for her. I'll pass along your offer."

And put you in a position where you couldn't use your powers if her answer was anything but an affirmative? "That won't be necessary. Why don't you give me her number instead? I'll offer her the deal myself."

As you copied down the list of numbers Jim rattled off, you smiled. The board was set.

Notes: This story was originally published by me as a spin off thread for the choice (Link: https://chyoa.com/chapter/Arc-One%3A-Your-Boss%27s-Daughters.746416). The chapters took too long to verify, so I moved the story to stand on its own.

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