I wanted to first get the system right regarding Pokémon. Then,I would start actually making them. The overall system for it, didn't take me long at all. It was mostly just me writing, and copying what I knew from memory. Drawing the monsters was going to be a lot more difficult.
I knew that I needed to get help with this, and luck for me I had a number of workers here to help me. It was clear to see that no one liked me. Harrison was right, I had a bad reputation in this company. It didn't help my case that Leith grabbed me, and had practically told them that I was better than everyone here with that stunt he pulled.
I couldn't imagine that feeling, of working hard and seeing an 8 year old brat skyrocket to wealth. This was going to be difficult, changing my reputation, and trying to get people to draw what I am saying.
I wasn't the best artist in the world, and I didn't have time to become one. I had three months to make pokemon, and other stuff. Where was I going to find the time to learn how to draw? I was going to be busy during the day, and studying at night.
Sigh life was going to suck for me. I put the mechanics of pokemon that I had written to the side of the table. I looked around and tried to find someone that could help me make the rest of the Pokémon designs.
Everyone here looked about as busy as you could get at a job. There was woman though that didn't look as stressed as everyone else here. She had straight black messy hair, probably due to her running her hands through her head and was a little overweight. She had her head down, and I couldn't make out her face. The only thing I knew was that she had black hair, was overweight, and didn't look like everyone else here. Maybe, hopefully she could help with this.
I got up from my chair, and made my way towards her. While walking there I noticed that other people starting to take quick glances at me, and where I was going.
I stopped behind her, and coughed.
"Ahem…excuse me."
She turned to me, I saw her face and for a second I questioned if I should ask her anything. Her face was ovule shaped, with fatty cheeks, her eyes were blood red with dark circles under them.
"Please. Look I don't know what I did to you, but please don't make my life harder." She spoke with a sigh, and sounded like a beaten dog. God, how bad was working here. I couldn't remember the Poppy lore completely, but I think I recall something about how Lieth had pushed and really WORKED his team.
"No..No. You haven't done anything to me, and I was—look I know that my reputation here isn't the greatest. And, I know that me bring here isn't helping my case. But, I want to change or at least try to. If I insulted you or something I am sorry. I just wanted to come here, and ask if you could help with my project. I don't know if Mr.Pierre is going to assign anyone to me or if wants me to do it myself. But, the business people in the room loved my ideas, and wanted to have it up and running in three months. I-I..I am not good at drawing pictures or anything really detailed and need help. So. I am asking you if you would like to help me or at least show me someone who can."
The woman widen her eyes and looked shocked. She hesitated before saying.
"Look…I-I am busy here. It is really nice that you apologize, but I really don't want to lose my job over this. I have multiple other projects that need to get done by the end of the day or…I might get fired. Look see that guy over there."
I turned to where she was pointing, and saw a young looking man. He was a skinny white dude with large glasses on his face. He had black messy hair, and he was running around everywhere giving coffee of all things to people. He didn't look like any of the designers here. In fact he looked like an assistant, assistant coffee boy.
"Him?"
"Yup him. He was hired about a week ago. Tell him you got a project for him or something or another. Anyway, please go I have to get back to this."
I turned away from her, and made my way to the coffee boy. He had put down one mug on someone`s desk and was about to move on to another when I stopped him
"Hi. My name is Max, and I was told you could help me with my BIG project."
"I-
"WHERE IS MY COFFEE! New guy, you see my desk. I cant work without my coffee. IF I cant work, we fall behind schedule, if we fall behind schedule then someone is going to have to explain to Mr. Pierre what happened and it aint going to be me. So, get my coffee so I can get to work."
"YES SIR" The man replied, but I stopped him.
I turned to the older gentleman that had made such a stupid comment. He will get behind schedule because he can't get coffee? That was the stupidest thing I ever heard. I looked at him and smiled.
"Good Sir. I need this man for something big. Something that Mr. Pierre is very excited about. Told me that himself, you saw how he looked when I came here right? So, I need this guy`s help in my making that thing a reality. I hope that you don't mind me taking him, after all if I cant get this project going because of someone then that someone will have to explain this to Mr. Pierre.. and what was it you said 'It aint going to be me?' right?"
"Tsk- Go"
"Thank you, now lets go to your work station."
"I don't have a work station."
"Then onwards to mine."
When we got to my little area, which was literally the very end of the work table at the corner of the room. I got a chair, gestured him to sit while I got seated myself.
"Sorry about that. My name is Max, and like I said I need help on this project. I need someone to draw things. Monster really. I have the idea for them, but cant really draw myself. So, that is why I need you. I have the idea, you draw. Its perfect."
"I..hmm..I am not going to get fired for this right? I really need this job and-"
"Don't worry about it. I know I look young, but seriously Mr. Pierre is really excited about my ideas. Heck, we even signed a contract. Please, help me with this. I promise you, I will make sure that you don't get fired."
"sigh..okay. Nice meeting you Max, my name is Alex Palmer."
Alex and I worked well together. We only got to the first 4 pokemon, but it was a very good start. He at first wasn't sure what to draw, as my communication skills with describing an actual imagine in my head wasn't that good. But, after some time we got into a rhythm of it. Mostly he learned what I wanted.
I didn't know how long we worked for, but we were focused on our work. Until I heard a cough behind us
"Ahem"
We turned around and saw Leith standing behind us.
"MR.PIERRE. SIR. I-I…Maxtoldmeabouthisproject. A-And..Please don't fire me."
"Fire you. Are you kidding me, you are helping my little champ with his project. That is big, really big. I am not going to fire you, no I am promoting you. From now on I want you to work with Max in getting this, and whatever else he has up and running. This needs to be done in three month deadline. You understand."
"Yes sir."
"Now let me see what you got so far"
He took the papers from us looked at them and said.
"This is good..really good. Great. Max how confident are you that you can get all this done by the end of the three months."
"If we have a good area to work in, then I am pretty confident. I already have all the designs in my head, I just need Alex here to draw it and bring it to life."
He smiled like he just won the lottery, he then turned to a random guy walking by and said
"YOU. Get me Harrison. NOW!"
It didn't take long for Harrison to come running in he saw our group and said
"Sir. You need something"
"Yes. Mr. Harrison I do. I want you to get these two a nice office. A place for them to focus on their work. I don't care where it is, in fact clear out that empty office down the hall. I want them to have whatever, I do not want to repeat myself in saying this, WHATEVER they need to get their ideas going. If Max asks for a glue gun, then I better see a glue gun in his hands or someone is getting fired. I hope this is understood."
"Yes, Sir I do."
"Good. Max, tomorrow you will be coming here after school. I will work with Stella on getting you a schedule going later today. In the meantime, Mr.Harrison will get you get to Home Sweet Homes to play with your friends and get some good sleep"
TimeSkip
A whole year has passed since that first meeting with the directors. Since that time I was able to get a lot of products made and sold. The problem was that Leith had been up my ass constantly about how long it was going to take for each one. Constantly asking if I needed anything or if there was any delays or…ugg. Just thinking about it made me mad, I couldn't imagine being an employee.
It was borderline child labour, but they were able to get out of it by saying 'Young Genius' Program. Yup, they marketed it as that. Jimmy the Chief of Market was good…really good. He at first didn't like me, saying that I was too young and it looked bad for the company and all that stuff. But, Leith countered saying that it would benefit the company more. He reasoned that I had been raised in a good home in PlayCare, and that with me being here I was able to show my talents and whatnot.
The first full month was releasing just about 'build a friend' . It was an easy thing for the company to do. They had it set up as part of the tour to see how people liked it. It didn't take long for the results to show that kids liked the idea of not only making a friend, giving them clothes, and personalizing it. But, some adults even liked it too.
They originally wanted to only use the swap-minal, smiling critters, and what Playtime was known for but I stopped it. I said that a child should be able to choose, and that we should have all animals available. See what ones sold, what didn't and go from there. It took a while but they eventually agreed to it.
'Build a friend' average high on the revenue scale according to the statistics. It wasn't projected to sell as well as Poppy and Huggy did but was shown to reach the height of smiling critters. It was a new thing.
Baby Shark, with the song included. Was the next on the list. We were able to release it about a couple of days in the second month. It didn't sell well, but did make some money. The song however became slightly popular among the kids. I also released some other kid`s song during that time, but they weren't BIG hits though. It was mostly just a few bucks here and there.
The bread winning was Pokemon. Jimmy had gotten the market hyped for it before we even released it. The people didn't know what it was at first, but knew they wanted it. It was also leaked that I was the one who came up with it. Jimmy had told me that, once Pokemon was released I was going to be made more 'public'.
He had told me that there were a lot of people that wanted to interview me, and get me on their talk shows after it was relieved that I was the one behind the new Playtime releases. It was also leaked by someone, marketing, that I was one of the youngest people to get a high school diploma. It was good marketing, and good campaigning for turning Playtime imagine around.
I stopped holding back, and got my diploma from the Playcare school. It was a whole thing, getting the high school teachers to come in test me, and do the whole thing. I got it because one I wanted to start college sooner, and second was because I was tried of people saying 'You are too young'. So, I got my diploma to make a point and have people off my ass about my age. Fuck you.
There was a knock on the door, and I already knew who it was. He came in the room the same way he did, EVERY..FUCKING..DAY. Like he owned the place, and which was true in this case….unfortunately.
"Heeyyy there champ. Hows our project coming along."
"We are finally done Mr.Pierre. We literally just finished it."
"Perfect that is perfect. Max I need you in the conference room by 5pm tomorrow. Those people you presented to will be there. Mr.Harrison will make sure that you get there on time…..Oh before I forget you got an interview with that talk show Frank`s talk show next week"
"Okay"
With he left the room. I turned to Alex and said my goodbyes to him and left the room as well. Harrison was outside the room, leaning against the wall waiting for me. He had become my personal assistant/body guard/escort/father-figure. He was a good dude to hang out with
"Tut, they got you working like a hound son. You want to meet PJ, help you relax?"
"No..maybe tomorrow actually with Mommy Log Legs and the others. That will be nice to do before the meeting, and….everything else."
"Well. Kid just know that you are doing well. Better, than I and most of the staff here thought you would. Actually, from what mike has told me there has been a few….heated arguments about working under you."
"Really?"
"Yeah really. You are a lot better boss than…well let`s just say some people aren't nice. Anyway, kid yeah. You got those workers, wanting to work. Good on you."
Marie wasn't happy with me working with them, but I was able to get her to calm down about it eventually.I finally got them to let the 'talking' toys to play with the other kids at PlayCare. It was only for a set amount of time, and only certain 'talking' toys could come. But, it was better than nothing. I am pretty sure Marie only forgave me because of that. God, when I think about her reaction when I told her I was making toys was kind of scary me. She looked mad, and hurt…mostly hurt about it.
There was nothing I could do about it. I needed to be in a higher position to fix everything. I only had less than a year to get everything set up, and prevent 'Hour of Joy'