The silence after Jasper's final, dismissive line—"We are here to discuss possibility, not profit margins"—was absolute. Every student in the tiered lecture hall held their breath, waiting for the demonstration to begin.
But Eric couldn't move. The arrogant words felt like a direct insult to his family, to The Saffron Loft, and to every piece of honest, working code he had ever written.
Eric rose abruptly from his seat, his faded blue hoodie a bright spot of defiance in the polished darkness.
Eric: "With all due respect, 'possibility' without purpose is just expensive vanity."
(A shocked, communal intake of breath swept through the room. No one challenged Jasper. Ever.)
Jasper stopped mid-motion, turning slowly. His jaw tightened, his black eyes flicking with genuine surprise that anyone dared to interrupt him, let alone criticize his philosophy.
Jasper: "And you are... the resident expert on catering logistics? We're discussing the theoretical limits of quantum processing, not how to calculate the optimal stock of saffron."
Eric: "I'm discussing value. Your kind of code only works in a sandbox. My kind of code is solving real-world problems. It's paying salaries and cutting waste. Your 'possibility' is pointless if it doesn't serve a person. You don't innovate; you just spend money to prove you can."
(Students exchanged wide-eyed looks. Some were horrified by Eric's audacity, others leaned forward, captivated by the sheer, unexpected spectacle.)
Jasper: He descended one step, his tailored suit shifting with lethal grace. "I build the horizon, Eric. You stand at the counter and calculate the tip. I'd rather be uselessly brilliant than mundanely useful."
Before Eric could deliver the definitive comeback burning on his tongue, a synthetic chime cut through the air. The main screen flashed to show the stern, holographic face of Dean Alston.
Dean Alston: "Enough. The energy in this room is exactly what this institution needs." He looked at the two of them with an unsettling satisfaction. "Mr. Eric. Mr. Jasper. Your opposing philosophies present a unique opportunity."
Dean Alston: "You are now partners. You will represent Praxis together in the Global Innovation Challenge (GIC). The goal of the GIC is to create a project that is both revolutionary and profitable. Consider this partnership mandatory. Your grade, and a substantial portion of the Institute's reputation, depends on it."
The Dean's hologram vanished. The room erupted in immediate chaos, the students suddenly thrilled to have a front-row seat to an inevitable academic disaster.
Eric and Jasper stood facing each other across the gap, the mandate hanging between them like a physical threat. Jasper's disdain solidified into a hostile commitment.
Jasper: "Fine. We will partner. But our goal is not collaboration. It is to finally prove which of us is fundamentally wrong. I will use this project to prove your focus on Practicality is the ceiling of mediocrity."
Eric: "And I will use this challenge to prove that your obsession with Possibility is nothing more than a tower built on sand, ready to collapse."
They didn't shake hands. They just stared, trapped together by a project they already hated, and a conflict they couldn't run from.