Checking out

Walt exited the bathroom putting the tie in his pocket. He was one of those guys who hated them. Friday was correct. He probably could show up naked, riding a tiger and still conduct business but it wouldn't feel appropriate at all. For all his "progressive" leanings he was traditional about many things. He started putting everything else in his pockets and gathering everything together for when it was time to leave.

He looked around only seeing Penny. "Did the girls leave?"

Penny nods but she smiled, "They did but they left you a message with Ms Friday."

(("It's a video message that I can show you later, Boss"))

"Well that's nice." Walter looked around the massive suite it had seemed so big with the four of them in it but now that it was just the two of them it seemed even bigger. "It's almost too quiet in here now. Sanctum, indeed."

Penny nodded she agreed it did seem so quiet without her friends. It was just her and Walt... oh, Friday, too. "Friday said you needed to authorize my access to the system."

"That's right. If you want we can get you level one access right now or wait until we get home."Walter said."Then we can decide what and how much access you'd like Penny. If you like the glasses we'll design you a pair. If you go for the implants and higher levels of use and access like I have I think the contacts might work better for you. I'm just not a fan of contacts myself, Never much liked wearing them. Do you want to use the bathroom and freshen up?"

Walter had given her several things to think about. "Do we have time?"

"Friday use the speaker please," He said." How are we on time."

"Yes, Boss. You and Ms Polendina-"

"Actually," said Penny,"if it's not too troublesome for you Friday could you please call me, Penny? I'd like to be friends with you."

Walt smiled. Leave it to Penny. "What do you say, Friday? Want to be friends? I authorize level one access to Penny Polendina. Penny go ahead put the glasses on and say your usual greeting. It'll start the registration process and you'll see a bit of Friday and her world."

Penny walked over to the glasses. Walter gave her a reassuring smile. Putting the glasses on she said,"Salutations."

The heads up scaned her eyes she heard her own voice just now saying "Salutations" recorded just then as the heads-up started up. There was a small odd, but not unpleasant feeling in her ears.

(("Greetings to you, Penny. It's a pleasure to meet you again."))

At first the heads-up was different but similar enough to how she used to see the world but slowly it began to show her more. Names and information about every thing in the room that she tracked her eyes too, serial and midel numbers on the appliances, names of the pieces of art. Since the suite had a "hero" theme it started to identify things from various franchises, what genre, writer, comic, show, movie, actor or actress, and on and on... it started to show all kinds of information! She looked at Walt and it listed all kinds of things about him too! Including updating information coming in his heartrate and blood pressure and other vitals as well as other pertinent information and facts. Including new updates

Walter Stark

Owner---->Master updated

Widower---->Lover of Penny Polendina Relationship updated

Walter looked at her and smiled. "I was wrong. You look good in glasses Penny."

Did she? The glasses showed that his heart sped up just slightly other data started showing his pupils dilated slightly and capilaries opening as- okay, she thought he definitely thinks I look good in glasses. "I think I'd like a pair then!"

"Done!" Said Walt. "Friday do you have enough data on Penny's face structure to work up some 3d prototypes to look at when we get home?"

(("I do, Boss. I already anticipated that request and began prototyping.")) (("As soon as I noticed your reaction to his, Penny."))

She was surprised. "Wait-"

(("Do not worry he didn't hear that." Said Friday. "Nor will I share anything "private" or "confidential" you wish keep between ourselves. Or yourselves. I haven't had any friends except for Walter. I would also like us to be friends, Penny. As a friend may I tell you something and ask a favor?"))

"Of course, Friday." Said Penny. "We're friends!"

(("It's Walter. He's a very lonely person in many ways. Very isolated. I worry about him. Take care of and look out for him for me. I can only do so much lacking a body."))

"Of course, I will," said Penny quietly. "But why won't he get you a body, Friday?"

(("He's always put off getting me one for one reason or another. You've done something special that I haven't been able to do. Enter his life in a physical presence."))

"But aren't you waiting for us at home?"

(("I am but I'm also "here". The closest thing I have to a body are the mainframes and robots and machinery that I'm allowed access to."))

"I might be wrong but isn't that lonely for both of you?"

The heads-up starts to show various pictures, videos and even live feeds.

(("You're not wrong at all. It's a nice place here and the house and grounds surrounding it are vast. There are actually several smaller homes here and it's probably more accurate to think of the place as a compound. But with the exception of guests no one lives here except for Walter. When it was first started around 300 years ago the family was big and they expanded as they grew but their numbers diminished until there was just one."))

((" Much of the land around it has become the homebase for the Stark Strategic Solutions which is quite large so there are personnel, employees and character assets. Those places are busy. Training grounds and facilities, instruction halls, air pads, runways, launch sites, hangers, warehouses, armories, dormitories and housing for character assets and personnel and so much more. Walter, sensing correctly I believe, saw the over population of 'Terra' and bought up even more land. If you'd like I'd happily go over the reason so many public parks and preserves on Terra are called "protected" sometime but I digress. "))

((" But here it is very isolated and empty. A large home meant to house many, many people. From what I understand before all of this Walter and his wife planned to have many children and evetually try to fill a small portion of it but that never came to pass. But now he has you. He is changing since he met you. Maybe you can convince him to fill it up. Maybe it will become less lonely. He calls it "Home" but it's hardly that with no one in it. Perhaps you can help make into a place worthy of the name. A place for him to come "home" to."))

Penny thought about what Friday had just told her. "I see. Thank you for telling me about "Home", Friday," she said. "You have given me a lot to think about. I agree it seems like a place with so much empty potential. Thinking about you and Walter there by yourselves makes me sad. I don't want that for either of you. I want you both to be happy."

(("Thank you, Penny."))

"You're very welcome, Friday", said Penny. "I should go prepare for our departure but I was wondering if there's time I have a question I have wanted to ask you since I learned who you are?"

The heads up display immediately showed a countdown of the time remaining until check out.

(("You have plenty of time, Penny. Walter is an obsessively punctual person. Always early, never late. As his assistant and knowing his preferences I allotted extra time for him in that regard with scheduling. Right now he and I are discussing business matters and other arrangements as we talk. What would you like to know?"))

She nodded. "That's good to know. Then I will ask. Last night Walter asked you to get us "a room" and to deal with management for him. You must have understood what he wanted but you got us this suite and set a situation where the management would seek out and engage with him. At the RealDreams function Walter said he doesn't like to attend those types of functions normally, meaning someone made him attend what he probably considered a minor event. As his assistant you are the one who sets his schedules. After hearing everything else you told me I'm rather sure of the answer to my question but I'll ask it all the same. You're pushing him into these situations trying to help him, aren't you Friday?"

(("Very astute, Penny. You figured that out quickly. Impressive. Walter has too of course but not nearly as quickly as you did. It's why he tolerates my "meddling". Walter has a theory about why so many AIs get into trouble or go "rogue". Putting it simply he believes that meddlesome or problematic as they grow bored. I'm not sure about other AIs but that's certainly true in my case. He should have had chauffeur. He chooses to drive himself. He should have a small army of assistants. He choose me. As capable as he is should have bodyguards as he's too important not to. He chooses not to. At last nights event he should have shown up with a minimum of either one date, escort, friend and a character. He attended alone. He's fabulously wealthy and extremely powerful and yet he doesn't act like in so many ways. People always talk up his success and genius but he does the opposite and I believe that's the reason."))

((" For all his successes, Walter sees himself as ultimately unsuccessful for he's failed at the two things he's tried to do. All the other successes were for those goals so he doesn't value them quite the same as others do. He has failed at his dreams and life goal of building a family twice. It's probably why he treats his employees and characters that work for the 3S and all subsidiaries and tributary holdings so well. I hope you can help him with what he probably hasn't realized just yet is his third attempt. They do say third times the charm!"))

Penny actually laughed she saw Walt look in her direction questioningly but when she shook her head he smiled and went back to work. She smiled watching him as he and one extremely capable assistant worked hard on who knew how many things. She decided.

"I will. I'll work hard too to build that "Home" and make a family for both of you, Friday. Give me time to figure out how I can help make you both happy." She said with resolve. "Thank you for telling me all of that and thank you for everything you have done for the both of us. Walter and I wouldn't have met without you, Friday. You're a very good friend!"

(("It was my pleasure, Penny. I appreciate you taking one this task. I'll give you all the support I can. Better go and get ready. You've got a big job ahead of you."))

Penny nodded. "I will. I'll talk to you again soon, Friday" She took off the glasses and walked over to Walt she handed them to him and kissed his cheek before grabbing her outfit and heading into the bathroom ro prepare. Friday was right she had a big goal ahead.

Walt felt his cheek where she'd kissed him and put the glasses on. "Did you two have a nice talk?"

(("We did, Boss... Thank you very much for introducing us, Walter."))

He raised an eyebrow at that exceptionally short answer and it was unusual for Friday to pause and thank him that much too. "You're very welcome, Friday. Already fast friends and keeping secrets? Is there anything I should know?"

(("She's a very special person."))

Walter smiled. "She certainly is. I'm glad you like her too." Walter paused and cleared his throat. "So are you. I can't thank you enough, Friday for everything that you do. I'm glad the two most important ladies in my life are getting along."

(("You're very welcome, Walter. Are you grateful enough to authorize those upgrades?"))

"We'll see... Let's get back to work, shall we? Show me the analysis of that last project we were discussing as well as the projection of the data on the prototype for the next phase. I think I noticed an area we can improve upon and that will enable a better cross..."

((" Yes, Boss. Opening Mímisbrunnr, Hvergelmir and Urðarbrunnr now as well as Projects Argonaut and B.N.W. while accesing file Katabasis. As you can see you were correct about..."))

Exiting the suite freshly cleaned and wearing her old outfit Penny smiled. She looked at Walt and he smiled back and offered her his arm which she took. It was time to say goodbye to the SHH and check out. It was early and the clubs daytime operations were in effect. Gone were last nights more adult orientated entertainment and, while to quite busy with the morning rush just yet, there were a goodly number of families and their children eating and playing about excited to dee their favorite Heroine's. Even though she was with Walter and wearing her "guest" armband when a little girl and boy ran up to Penny excitedly and said "Salutations!" To her it made her very happy and she spent several moments with them while Walt assured the thankful parents it was no trouble at all.

He was a little surprised to see Jubilation Lee was the one behind the bar, but the bar probably didn't get nearly as many customers this time of the morning and he remembered her characters softspot for "rugrats".

"Good morning, Jubilee," he said.

"'Morning," she said. "I see things worked out between you and the princess. Good on ya, Pops. I'm happy for ya!"

Walt chuckled her sass was refreshing. "Thank you. Jubilee, this Penny. Penny, this is Jubilation Lee, but she prefers Jubilee. She is actually one of my favorite heroines from her franchise. Just like you from yours."

Jubilee is gob smacked at that revelation and Penny is excited to meet her! "Salutations, Jubilee! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

It takes Jubilee a moment a moment to shut her mouth."Uhhh, likewise Penny. It's great to meetcha!"

Susan arrives and giggles to see Penny now talking animatedly with Jubilee. "That was really sweet of you to say to her, thank you for that. Checking out, Mr Stark?"

"Good morning, Susan. And please just call me, Walt. We are. Here's the key and Penny's armband. And I wasn't sweet at all. She's one of my favorites. She never got as popular or the credit she was due in my opinion."

Susan took the items and pulled out a VIP card, folder and brochure and gift bag to place them in Showing Walt where to sign and pointing out a few things to him while she asked,"It sounds like you're an actual fan, Walt. May I ask what it was you like about her character particularly?"

Walt looked over to see Jubilee showing Penny her fireworks already getting along, both of them smiling which made him smile. He went back to filling out the form, mostly writing about the great experience and service they had in the comments. "She's earnest in her way as well as very sweet despite her charming sass. She's spunky and lively and maybe a little too brave, but she doesn't back down. But the thing I always liked most about her was her compassion. She had the biggest heart and really cared about others. She's one of my favorites. " He put the pen down and turned the form around to Susan. "I think that completes the form Susan if you want to look it over."

"It sounds like you were a wonderful hero, friend Jubilee!"

"Dude?!"

Susan smirks as she checks the forms and Walt blushes realizing she must have heard all that. "Well crap. Cat's out of the bag." He turned to face one of his favorite X-persons. "I meant every word. Don't let it get to your head though and try not to cause too much trouble, brat... and... thanks for being who you are in your stories. You're a good person and you showed it when you talked to me last night and gave me good advice." He held out his hand. "It really was a pleasure so thank you, Ms Lee."

Blushing brightly she awkwardly stepped up and took his hand squirming. "The pleasure was all mine, pops and... and t-thank you for all the nice things you said, I... I-I don't hear that kind of stuff that often. I hope you'll come back to see me-US! See us again soon! Susan-I-gotta-go-use-the-bathroom-can-I-pleaseeee?"

Susan covered her mouth and nodded."Go."

"Great-thanks-bye!" Jubilee rushed off into the back.

Susan in a rare moment couldn't stay professional and keep it in and laughed saying something about "premature detonation", while Penny waved calling out, "It was a pleasure to meet you!"

Walt blinked. "Was it something I said?" Which caused more laughter.

After finishing up their business inside they exited the SHH. Walt opened the passenger side door for Penny before getting behind the wheel himself and starting the truck.

He looked at Penny. "Want to get some road food?"

Penny put her hands on her stomach which made a noise and and nodded to Walt. "I could eat."

Walt nodded put on the glasses. And turned on F.R.I.D.A.Y.s connection in the truck so Penny could interact with her. "Friday?*

(("Yes, Boss."))

"Plot route from present coordinates to Rein Corp while helping Penny choose a specificly "drive-through fast-food" restaurant that she'd like to try, preferably not the clown ones, and a nice scenic spot along the way. We've got a shorter way to go and plenty of time to get there, let's have a nice scenic drive and breakfast picnic. The weather might not be the nicest..." He reached over and held Penny's hand smiling and she smiled back. "...but the company is. Lets enjoy ourselves. Just the three of us."

"I agree whole-heartedly!"

(("Understood, Walter."))