The extra chapter for 2000 collections as promised.
2500 words, hot damn! This thing stretched like a good mozzarella stick.
...........
"Where is that coming from?" Rigal asked as he sat back down, "The internet is just a fad, Riser. If you're planning on launching your own website and getting contracts that way, forget it. We've already consulted leading economists, noble prize winners. They all told us to short it. And we did, made a killing out of it. The internet is done for. It was a thing, like beanie babies or the orgone generator. A novelty of its time, and it will fade into the background."
"That's where you're wrong Rigal." I shook my head, "The internet is the next best thing. Video killed the radio star and now the internet is about to do the same to TV. It's the next step into evolution of human society and I want us to be the first to grab that opportunity. To own every last square inch of that market, especially now, while it is in the dumps. So we don't come out on the short end like we did with DevilTV."
Rigal sighed.
"Riser, you're smart, but this is not your game. The internet is a niche product. It has a future, yes. In research, logistics, management, taxes, point of sales systems. All of which are markets we are working to corner. Online corporate services will be our domain. But that's it. Maybe higher education in the far future. Other than that, no one will be interested in the internet for much else."
"What about online shopping?"
Rigal laughed.
"Online shopping? Sure, we have a few fingers in the pot. Mostly wholesale. Again, its logistics. We supply the businesses. Sell the shovel to the aspirational gold miners and make like kings whether they win or lose."
"You haven't considered the retail side of things?" I asked.
"No one will buy anything online. Have you seen Ebay? It's a disaster. Zero trust.
That balding fellow at Amazon. I met him. Got the run down on this business and guess what he made in revenue.
NIL. Nothing. Nada. It's losing money.
Now sometimes, that's good. You can offer low prices, lose money, run your competition out of the market. But that is for when you have money to spare, investors that believe in you. With the condition this bubble is in, forget that. Amazon? Hah. That little biddy is done for.
By the time this bubble fully pops, both of those will be history.
People like to see the things they are buying. They don't believe tiny little images on the computer and false promises of home delivery. Sales is a game that works on trust. Nobody trusts anybody on the internet." Rigal waved me off.
"Then how come TV sales shows work so well?" I poked at the flaw in his logic.
"Because there you can see someone use the product." He countered, "The internet barely has bandwidth for that kind of stuff, much less a whole marketplace full of videos showing the product in use.
Moreover, if the product isn't delivered, they have a company to sue. On the internet, you don't know if a company is going to see the next sunrise. Vanishing like ghosts. There is no future there, babe."
I sighed, rubbing my eyes. How do I convince this idiot?
I thought for a moment, forming my argument.
Letting out a breath, I started again.
"Remember those contracts you gifted me for my birthday?" I reminded him, "All the after-effects of the Dotcom Bubble bursting. Seeing all those companies going under, I asked myself- How come all of these websites, valued so highly, went under? Why didn't they get a customer base?"
"Isn't that obvious? Indexing." Rigal stated, "Their intended customers simply couldn't find them. So many names, so much syntax. That level of skill, the bar for entry is simply too high for the average consumer.
There are indexing sites of course, and search engines. But who wants to do all that work when your local mall is right there. Just a small drive away. You can buy what you want, spend quality time with your family, rent a movie from Blockbuster for later, treat yourself at the food court. It's simply easier than busting your head against the computer searching for one in a thousand trustworthy sites, and even then, if they have what you're looking for. That's if you find them in the first place. That is another nightmare. Its simply not a very consumer friendly space.
AskJeeves is doing good, despite everything. It should survive as an academic resource if nothing else. But otherwise, it's a write off."
"There's google." I pointed out.
"Those guys? Their indexing is better, but again. Purely academic use. A curiosity for the regular person if anything." Rigal leaned back in his chair, "There are simply better alternatives to everything over the internet. Jack of all trades, master of none. And a shitty jack at that."
"You say indexing is the issue. People can't get to the websites they need because its too difficult?"
Rigal nodded.
"Exactly. The TV has a remote and a select catalogue of channels to go through. The internet? It's the wild, wild west. No maps, no guides. Nothing."
"Then why don't we simply make one? A remote."
"To what end-" He stopped mid-sentence as the gears began to turn in his head- finally.
He leaned forward, serious now.
"Sell it to me." He said, "Sell me this remote for the internet."
"In a few months, Microsoft is releasing Windows XP. The specs of which were leaked in a tech forum recently." I started, "And with it they've bundled this brand-new browser. Internet Explorer V6. That is going to revolutionize the internet. It will make it easy for people to surf the web, from syntax to neat, colourful, user-friendly icons, spreadsheet indexing and better search functions. When that happens, people will flock to it. It won't be immediate, but you will be able to see it.
A gradual recovery.
A booming rise of the new age of the internet. Someone, I don't know who, with this new idea of icons and graphic UI, will come to the same conclusion as me. To create a catalogue for websites, attached to a search engine. Maybe even make it the default page you get when you open Internet Explorer. They will make that deal and with it, will come ease of access."
"And control. You can show whatever websites you want to whichever customer you choose. The advertising potential of just that- they will beg us to accept their money to reach this new line of consumers." Rigal realized and buried his face in his hands, wringing out his hair.
He took out his phone and made a call.
"Christie, yeah. I know. Fire our consultancy team. Yes, all of them. Every last useless bastard. Out-thought by a fucking ten-year-old." He cut the call and threw the phone into the wall as he groaned 'Fuuuuck!', falling back into the couch.
"Oof. If that's what got you into a mood, you might just kill yourself at the next one."
"Next one?" Rigal looked up in despair, "There's more?"
"You know what the owner of McDonald's once said- You don't get rich leading out franchises, you get rich by owning the land they are built on."
"Hosting services." Rigal completed the line of logic for me.
"Yup. We can be both gatekeeper and landlord. Pay us to get in and pay us on the way out. Pay us to get into business and pay us to stay on."
"You mean…"
"Internet service providers." I nodded, "The third hedge in the door of this monopoly. The current operators have utter shit bandwidth, like you said, and it's shared by phones and fax machines and what not else. You could flush the toilet and lose the godsdamned connection. Pick up the phone, internet's gone. Open the door…you get it. We can make an independent service provider. Purely for the internet, maybe even make it a satellite service. No, we'll probably have to make it satellite or underground cables in the long term."
"This, how could I have missed this." Rigal sighed, massaging his temples.
"I'm not done yet." I laughed, "The best has yet to come. Didn't I promise we'd make more money and power out of this than everything else combined?"
He looked up and I could feel everyone's attention on me now.
"You know how DevilTV copied the humans' TV style for the underworld?"
"You want to make a DevilNet?" Ruval butt in.
"No, dear brother, I want to make a supernatural internet empire." I corrected, "Not just for us devils, but for everyone. Every pantheon, every magical species, every faction and group. A neutral space where they can interact without having to flop their dicks on the table. And where every group interacts, every group transacts."
"We're about to make a shitload of contracts." Rigal put two and two together.
"Neutral spaces need neutral mediators. An exchange through which transaction can flow. A market place of both goods and services, ideas and innovation never before possible. And we will control it all." I began to chuckle darkly, my greed emerging unbidden from within me, "You know how we make phone calls down here, the service is only decent at best and every call charges insane prices by the minute. All contracted by the way."
"Yeah. We're devils. If we don't scalp people, who will?" Ruval shrugged.
"And that, is exactly why we will succeed." I explained, "We never developed a proper messaging or communication system until the Underworld Telephone Line, because what was the point? If you want to talk to someone, just teleport to them. Of course, sometimes, they are out or not around, but that's just the price of doing business. And then, we solved that a little with the UTL. No need to teleport, just give them a call, if you can afford it, anyways. That has limited their growth."
I pulled out my planner from the storage spell and laid it out on the table.
"We will give them something better. A portable DevilPhone. Transmission towers across the world, even in the Dimensional Gap.
Worldwide connectivity, low, low call prices, and the cherry on top? Free messaging. Well, sort of free, at least. With every word they send, every message every call, they will have to make an unconscious individual contract with us.
This will be pre-approved in the signing document of the subscription, of course, so there are no delays in transit, but they won't notice it.
Every minute they waste on the phone, our potential increases. Every message, a boost to our demonic power.
Imagine, a thousand, ten thousand phone calls, entire chatrooms of devils and magicians and even gods going away at it, chimping out on forums and websites of our own make, fueling our growth, unawares, and at such negligible cost, they will never even think to question it, even if they do spend the hours it would take to pore over the contract documents to find out.
But that's not where it ends. I have plans for this new DevilNet. Places to post videos, stream live content, supernatural forums for discussion, a picture and video platform for sharing and saving personal moments with friends and family, something to remember loved ones by- courtesy of the DevilPhone minicamera spell- and a whole lot more.
I even have a bead on gambling and gacha, with characters based on the pantheons, a search engine and supernatural encycopedia with user edited content, detailing every corner of the supernatural world. Add in magic GPS and mapping, and we have the perfect system for total domination of their minds and hearts.
Tracking every movement every word, every desire. Tailored ads, contracts they cannot refuse, every comfort on tap. They will become addicted to it. Unable to put it down, their every waking moment consumed by it. And we will own it, every thought, every moment. We will own them all!"
"Diabolical." Rigal mirrored my feelings, his sin was Greed too, after all.
"Oh you~" I blushed dramatically.
"This Riser. This might just be the best idea you have come up with till date. Such power…" My father was mesmerized by the concept.
"Now if we could just discuss the distribution of power in this deal…" I suggested and my father raised a hand to cut me off.
"You will get all of it, Riser." He announced.
"What?!" Ruval complained, "That is unfair! Me and my children-"
"Did not come up with this idea." My father finished his argument before it even started, "Nor do you have the potential to reach Satan Class, maybe even beyond. Riser, on the other hand…we might just see a Chief God Class devil emerge from our family if this succeeds. We could rule the whole underworld. Replace the Bael and Lucifer clans. We could reign supreme. Tell me you see the folly in this Ruval. Tell me you're not too blinded by your envy to see the benefit of the whole clan in this!"
Ruval did not take it well, and I decided to interject before it was too late.
"How about we each split a business? I will take three, seeing as how I came up with the idea, and each of you can take one?"
"No. You will-" My father argued, but my mother stopped him.
"Look around you dear." She said, softly, cupping his face, bringing him back to his senses, "We are a family. We share things. Look at your sons. Ruval won't just give it up. Rigal is too obedient to ask for a share but he will grind underneath from desire of it. This will tear our family apart." Her voice shook, "Please."
My father calmed down, the fanatic look in his eyes dissipating, as he looked around him. Rigal slumped in his chair. Ruval seething with envy. Me trying to mediate.
And he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"I am sorry, my dear boys. I… I was too swept up in the moment, dreaming of what could be, that I didn't stop to think of what should be. Ruval, Rigal, Riser…" He looked at my mother, "Dear. I am so sorry."
He wiped a tear from my mother's eye and kissed her forehead.
"I forgot to see if there would even be a clan left to enjoy those dreamy heights, if we succeeded." He extended a hand to both Ruval and Rigal.
"Please, forgive me."
Their expressions softened and they took his hand, embracing him.
"I'm sorry too, dad. I shouldn't have-" Ruval apologized but was shushed by my father, "It wasn't your fault. I know I have been harsh on you as of late, but that is only because you are my heir. I want you to be the best. To rise above our station and make the Phenex name proud."
"Rigal, I know I heckle you about your work. I only do so out of worry that it might one day consume you as it once consumed me. If it weren't for your mother, I might have been a neglectful father, too bound by the burden of imaginary duties and undue pride to raise you in a loving home. I might yet be, unknowingly. And for that, I am sorry."
"Riser. You were right. Let us distribute this equitably, so that each of us may get a share."
I nodded.
"Let's."
................
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but, you know, looking back, this has to be the healthiest family dynamic I have ever seen in fanfic. I just realized it while writing this lol. Even my own father wouldn't readily admit his mistake like this and reconcile, and move to make amends. And my dad is like actually really great. Great guy, very patient and understanding. Good and kind natured. All that.
Tell me if you have seen family dynamics like this in other fics?
Tell me what you thought of this chapter.
Thanks for reading.
Don't forget to donate your powerstones.
3000 collections - 1 extra chapter
300 powerstones - 1 extra chapter
Bye~